Emma Bridgewater: ‘Divorce was traumatic for everyone, but we still get on well’
How do famous names spend their precious downtime? In our weekly My Saturday column, celebrities reveal their weekend virtues and vices. This week: Emma Bridgewater
6.30am
One of my favourite things in life is drinking tea from a large china cup in bed. I’m currently drinking out of a teacup and saucer from my new spring collection, which pays homage to William Morris. It’s a joy. I’ve views of North Norfolk’s coastline. The salt marshes in Blakeney, where I live, are very special.
7am
A FaceTime call with my grandchild, who’s nine months [her eldest daughter’s baby]. I love seeing his cute, smiley face first thing.
7.45am
I’m a bread snob. I make my own or go to the local Two Magpies Bakery. If I’m on my own, I’ll have toast with homemade marmalade (I designed a plate specifically for toast and marmalade years ago – and it’s also the title of my memoir). If I’m in my London flat, my son Michael will come round and we’ll have a full cook-up.
9am
I meditate. Occasionally, I do it at the local church; otherwise, I’ll sit in my chair by the window. Meditation is quite new for me since I’ve been single [she separated from her husband and business partner Matthew Rice in 2018 and they have since divorced]. Matthew and I still get on well – I was at his 60th recently – and he still designs for me.
10am
I love a long, striding walk, sometimes for 16 miles. Not long ago I walked 250 miles in three weeks from Southampton to Canterbury.
11.30am
Arranging flowers is a weekend ritual I inherited from my granny. I love my Clive Bowen vase. Both of my grandmothers were strong women who taught me the love of china. I’m proud to work in a British industry with women at the heart of it. At the Stoke-on-Trent factory, all of my decorators are tremendous women.
1pm
I love cooking. In cold weather, my favourite is macaroni cheese.
2.30pm
There’s not much gardening to be done in the winter, but I like being outside so I’ll stack some logs. Then I sit in front of the fire to read – I’m reading Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell.
3.30pm
I enjoy a podcast – I’m listening to Ultra-Processed People with Dr Chris van Tulleken. The science behind food is fascinating. I’m all for the kitchen-garden approach. I grow kale and Jerusalem artichokes.
6pm
I used to throw big dinner parties with my ex, which was great fun, but I do much less of it now and they tend to be smaller in numbers. If my four kids [aged from 24 to 33] are here for dinner, we’ll play family games like charades.
8pm
A night in by myself means Netflix and one of my craft projects – I’m a serial quilt-maker. My sister Nell Gifford died a few years ago and has twins [now 13], and I’m making quilts for them using old tablecloths of hers. Nell and I shared an absolute passion for poetry, so I’m stitching about 100 letters of poetry on each side.
11.30pm
I’m terrible for getting myself to bed. I consume an enormous number of films, often on repeat, especially Shakespeare in Love, The Personal History of David Copperfield and It’s a Wonderful Life.
