BEING told that you look like a 19 year old’s big sister when you’re 54 must be incredibly flattering – and that is exactly what happens to Amanda Holden every time she posts a picture with daughters Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13.
But her eldest daughter is less impressed about being compared to someone more than double her age.
“I think they find it a bit embarrassing,”; admits.
“Lexi said that there are a lot of people at uni who make cheeky comments, which I find very flattering.
“Hollie doesn’t really give a damn. But I do have to walk behind her. She doesn’t want anyone to know I’m her mother!”;
A quick glance at her feed and it’s clear that Amanda’s 2.5 million followers are obsessed with seeing her with and , with husband . These posts have by far the most likes on her grid.
“It’s so amazing, isn’t it? I post a lot of bikini shots, but any time I share anything with my girls, that’s what goes viral.
“I need to put them out to work – we need to get some sort of campaign or something.”;
There have been fewer pictures of the trio recently as Lexi has flown the nest and is now at university, something her doting mum is struggling with.
“I’m not gonna lie,”; she confesses.
“I miss her like crazy and it’s really weird sitting down to a family meal with just the three of us. The house does feel a bit empty, so I’m just gradually filling it up with more .
“We’ve recently rescued a dog from Battersea & Cats Home and I’m planning to rescue another one in September. We’ve also got a cat and another dog.”;
Amanda is realistic about her daughters getting older and is proud of how Lexi, who also , has embraced her next chapter.
“I do miss her but, at the same time, it’s really nice seeing her become a little bit more independent,”; she explains.
“She’s all loved-up. She’s got good friends and I like her strong morals.”;
While some go completely off the rails at uni when experiencing their first taste of freedom, Amanda says that hasn’t been the case for Lexi.
“She’s had loads of fun, but hasn’t really gone nuts. It’s not her thing. I was quite laid back with her when she was growing up. We’ve been strict parents, but I haven’t denied her anything.
“And when has been around us as a family, she’s sort of been part of it, we’ve never stopped her. She has a healthy attitude but I think the more you talk to your daughter about things, the better.
I miss Lexi being at home, so I’m filling the house with pets
Amanda Holden
“Lexi does like to party but already she’s ‘over’ that big drinking culture side of uni. She keeps saying to me: ‘I just want to be useful in the world, Mummy.’
“I tell her that university is a chance for her to find her people and fart about for four years, and get a qualification at the end of it. It’s more about seeing who you are, so she doesn’t need to worry about being useful until she’s 21.
“But she’s very mature. I don’t feel like Hollie is going to be the same person,”; Amanda laughs.
As well as teaching her girls balance, Amanda has also passed on lessons she learned from her own mother about always looking her best.
“I come from quite a strong matriarchal family and I’ve got a lot of pride and dignity for myself.
“I’ve always made an effort. It’s self-preservation darling,”; she laughs.
“But you do feel better for it. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Anything you see me wearing that costs a lot has come from a show budget.
“Everything else in my wardrobe, I’ve just done a massive haul. I’m a .”;
Sharing the secrets of her , which makes her look years younger than her peers, she reveals: “Obviously, I take Revive Collagen every single day.
“I know I am an ambassador for it, but I swear by it and I really think it helps with my hair, my and my skin.
“I’m on the advanced one. My mum takes it, too, and even Lexi takes the young person’s version of it, because collagen starts to deplete in your 20s, so it’s best to keep putting it in [your body].
“I’ve also been having EMFace, a non-invasive facial treatment that uses frequency and high-intensity facial electromagnetic stimulation to lift and tighten the face. It’s completely non-invasive.
Chris is quite excited about the girls leaving so he gets me to himself!
Amanda Holden
“I take NAD+, a DNA-reversing vitamin, as an injectable, too. Our bodies make it, but it depletes as we get older.
“You can take it orally, but there’s a lot of filler in the tablets, so if you can inject it, as I do, it’s fantastic. It’s been a real game-changer for me and given me loads of energy.”;
And it’s not just that is incredible, for, but that isn’t down to a super-restrictive .
“I don’t cut anything out – I love a drink and I love my ,”; she declares. But she has made exercise a big part of her life.
“I am a Peloton freak. I do 30 minutes of Olivia Amato’s class every day, which I think is manageable.”;
She also credits her signature bronzed glow saying: “If you can’t tone it, just tan it!
“I’ve always been a sun girl, though I do cover myself in SPF50 and hardly ever put my hands or face in the sun. If they are ever exposed, it’s a complete accident.
‘Authenticity and honesty'
“I also have mole checks every year. I had the most incredible body scan this year and they mapped my freckles – I’ve got 2,993. All of them, fingers crossed, are good at the moment.
“But the scan is booked for a year’s time, and they’ll check them again. I think that’s the thing to do – to face your fears and have regular check-ups.”;
Like many women in their 50s, Amanda is taking her more seriously.
“I do think about my own mortality,”; she admits.
“And I think it’s an important thing to do. Since , I think people have realised you’ve got to look after yourself from the get-go.
“I’ve said it to my friends who are deciding now to do things. I’m like: ‘Well, this is a bit stupid.
“You’re in your 50s, you should have started in your 20s, which is when I did.’ I started all of this years ago, I’ve always looked after my skin.”;
Things have never looked better for Amanda professionally. – for which she’s been a judge since 2007 – is back on our screens, plus she wakes up the nation every morning on with .
She’s had a fourth series of her BBC renovation shows, and, commissioned, too, and this week, she’s making the move to global streamer with her new show, Cheat: Unfinished , alongside dating expert .
“Having a show was a dream come true for me. Who doesn’t want to work for a streamer?
“Everything feels a bit bigger and a bit glossier because it has to work on a global level,”; she says.
The show, which was filmed in , follows eight couples where at least one of them has cheated and figures out whether they can fix their .
“Oh my gosh, the drama is unbelievable,”; Amanda reveals.
“The way it plays out, you couldn’t have written it better. The emotions are high. Every single episode has a huge cliffhanger. And, obviously, there are characters in there that you’ll love and hate.”;
It wasn’t just the contestants whose relationships benefited from the series, either. Amanda admitted that she took on some of Paul’s tips for her own 17-year to Chris.
“Paul, our love guru, has such a good insight into relationships,”; she explains.
If he didn’t like it, Simon would have no problems chucking us off BGT
Amanda Holden
“So I really listened when he was talking to the couples. It’s so funny because Chris flew out with the girls so I could see them, and I did some of Paul’s exercises with Chris, and I was really nice to him!
“Paul said: ‘I love your with your husband and your children. I can see how close you are. I can see Chris is like your best friend.
“You tell him everything, you include him in everything. I’ve learned from you.’ Chris and Paul got on really well, too – they talked about most of the time. It was brilliant for them to meet.”;
However, it seems Amanda still has a lot to learn about alone time with her husband, after the pair tried to have a date night, but then ended up bringing the kids along, too.
“We seldom get date nights,”; she says.
“We live in and have an apartment in , so I try to have a without the girls in town at least once a week when I’m working. And we do go on alone, but I don’t post about that because he hates being on my Instagram.
“I used to feel so guilty about leaving the children when they were young, but a friend of mine said: ‘But you’re investing in your relationship, therefore you are investing in your .’
“The most important thing for them is to have two parents that love each other.
“When the children completely leave home, Chris and I will miss them, but I think Chris is quite excited about them both going so he gets me to himself!”;
Amanda can also bring her dating tips to Britain’s Got Talent pal , who and father of her two daughters, , at the end of last year.
She says: “I know she would hate it if I made any sort of comment on that. But she knows that we’re all here for her. She’s a super-independent and very strong woman.
“I love her to bits. She’s a working mummy and her girls come first above everything. And that’s all I’ll say on that, because it’s not for me to comment on her love life.”;
While Amanda’s presenting career goes from strength to strength, it’s her judging job on the talent show panel that brings her the most joy.
“Britain’s Got Talent is a gift from the gods. I never expected to be doing it 18 years later. It’s wonderful to have been allowed to stay on it for all that time.
“And I think Alesha, KSI and are all super judges, while is the king of reinvention, so if he didn’t like it, he’d have no problems chucking us all off.
“Our contracts aren’t a given, and I’m always super-grateful when I’m asked back. I’ve got other things going on, but it’s still one of my favourite gigs of the year. I just go: ‘Aren’t I lucky?’”;
So, what is the secret of her success?
“You just have to keep reinventing yourself every year. I’ve always been willing to do that and to learn from the people that are coming up behind me.
“I think having authenticity and honesty in this industry is something. I’ve definitely always been a very honest, truthful person, but I think that serves you.
“And being nice to everybody, it’s not just a tiny thing – it’s a really easy thing to be respectful and kind to people.
“I think we know the people who aren’t and what’s happened to them,”; she adds, with one of her trademark cackles.
- Watch Cheat: Unfinished Business on Netflix from Wednesday, and the Britain’s Got Talent live shows on ITV on Saturdays
