Charlene White: 'I constantly feel as if my head is going to explode'

Charlene White, the ITV News presenter, Loose Women panellist and author, talks about losing her mum when she was 21, the challenges of juggling work around motherhood, and the friendships with her Loose Women comrades.

Charlene White is a well-known household name, regularly appearing on our screens as an ITV presenter and Loose Women panellist. She has also dipped her toes into reality TV, appearing on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2022. As a patron of the Bowel Cancer UK charity, the 43-year-old is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease, after losing her mother to it when she was just 21.

Below, the mother-of-two opens up on how she dealt with her grief, her relationship with the other Loose Women and how she manages to juggle family life alongside her work. Her new book No Place Like Home is out in September.

In your new book you write about memories of your childhood as a Jamaican growing up in London. What stands out for you about your upbringing?

That I was lucky to have a safe and stable childhood. Both my parents worked so hard but ensured my siblings and I had a happy childhood and a good education. They were a couple who attracted the most amazing friends and community, which really helped me after my mum died. Having grown up surrounded by these people, as well as the church community, I was so grateful they stepped in to comfort my family when we lost our mum.

Losing your mum Dorrett when you were just 21 years old must have had a profound effect on you. How did you manage to cope?

Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer when she was 43 and passed away from it at the age of 47. She spent a lot of time in hospital when I was in my late teens and I can remember doing a lot of my school work at her bed there.

Grief hit me in so many different ways but what gave me strength was seeing how loved she was. So many of my parents’ friends and the whole community swooped in and helped carry my family along after she died.

Lots of things remind me of my mum. When I was pregnant with my seven-year-old son Alfie, for example, I found myself eating a favourite meal she used to make for us of corn beef and rice when we were kids. The smell comforted me as I found being pregnant without having my mum by my side really hard.

Do you find the relationship you have with your son Alfie and four-year-old daughter Florence reminds you of the closeness you had with your own mother?

Absolutely yes. Although I may be a bit stricter with my kids, one of things I took from my mother was the importance of manners. I can feel confident that when my children are on playdates they will be well behaved and remember to say please and thank you. And with Florence starting school in September, I am already worrying about how I will cope as I’ve loved having a little person by my side. She is going to the same school Alfie is at and I’m really going to miss her.

How do you manage to juggle your TV work around family life?

Well, I constantly feel as though my head is about to explode as there is so much to think about but fortunately my partner Andy helps out with the kids when he can.

You’ve been an anchor on Loose Women since 2012. How do you manage to go from presenting the news to being the face of a lifestyle show?

People told me doing Loose Women would ruin my news career but that couldn’t be further than the truth. I go to the Loose Women studio with the facts I’ve learnt from the news and just chat about what’s going on in the world in a friendly chatty way, like I would with a friend.

In fact, all the panellists are my friends outside of the show, even though the media like to claim we are not! I see a lot of Linda Robson, was with Brenda Edwards last weekend and today am meeting Judi Love for lunch. I learn so much from these women as my kids are quite a bit younger than theirs so they are always there to give me advice.

Do you worry about your own health after seeing your mother pass away at such an early age?

I know to watch out for all the signs of bowel cancer such as excess bloating and blood in your stools, so I stay on top of keeping an eye on any changes to my body. I also try to follow a balanced diet and not eat too many takeaways. I do weight training twice a week to keep my bone density strong. I also like to have a positive and fun outlook on life too and that helps with my mindset.

We saw you overcome lots of mental challenges during your stint on I’m A Celebrity. Would you consider doing another reality TV show?

Gosh, I’m A Celebrity is like the pinnacle show so I feel I can’t really beat that. I suppose something like Strictly is always nice as at least you get to learn a new skill but for me, I’m A Celebrity... was by far the most memorable experience I have ever had. It was disgusting and incredible in equal measures.

As a well-known face on TV, have you come up against online trolling and if so, how do you deal with it?

I’ve had so much online abuse but I learn to manage it by just ignoring the messages. I’ve also taken a step back from Twitter as I got a lot of trolling on there. My sister Carina ran my social media account when I was in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity and again I got horrible messages in the comments section.

One of the most recent incidents of trolling was last week when there were three black women alongside myself on Loose Women and we got some awful racist remarks. The only good thing is the trolling is becoming a lot less than it ever was and the Loose Women social media team have a good moderator to manage it. Those people are not worth me wasting my breath on!

Charlene White’s new book No Place Like Home is available to pre-order from Amazon now and published on 5 September.

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