Fearne Cotton hits back at 'toxic pressure' on women amid split from husband Jesse Wood
Fearne Cotton has broken her silence, following the news that she's split from Jesse Wood. Returning in a new episode of her Happy Place podcast, the mum-of-two spoke about the "toxic pressure" put on women.
Joined by beauty expert and CEO, Caroline Hirons, Fearne reflected on the notion of women being able to "have it all," explaining that while she has lots of things she'd love to do, she wouldn't want to "feel depleted and stressed out" at home.
"There is a lot of pressure for women to prove ourselves, that we can run businesses, I'm trying to do the same with Happy Place. But if we are honest, the pressure is immense," Fearne continued.
Her candid comments come days after she announced her separation from her husband of 10 years. Taking to Instagram, the TV star told fans: "It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage.
"Our priority has been and always will be our children. We please ask that you respect the privacy of our family at this time."
The former couple – who married in 2014 – share two children, son Rex, 11, and daughter Honey, 8. Fearne is also a stepmother to Jesse's children Arthur, 21, and Lola, 18, from his first marriage.
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An open book, Fearne has spoken honestly about the highs and lows of marriage. Back in 2019, the 43-year-old stated that "Love takes hard work - and no one wants to hear that.
"This year, Jesse and I hit a rough patch - he was away, touring relentlessly," she wrote in her column for Red magazine. "I was trying to keep my own career going while looking after our kids and we were both desperately clinging on to our marriage."
A renowned guitarist, Jesse is the son of Rolling Stones musician Ronnie Wood and Krissy Findlay. He is also a member of the English rock band, Reef.
Fearne added that their rough patch had resulted in a two-hour "screaming match" in a local park before she and Jesse resolved their issues.
It's certainly been a poignant month for the podcaster, who recently hit headlines for a different reason. A week before she confirmed her split from Jesse, the ITV star revealed that she had discovered two tumours on her jawline and required imminent surgery.
Keeping fans updated, Fearne posted a video, stating: "I'm going to be out of action for a bit due to a surgery. I felt a lump under my ear on my jawline a while ago now but this year noticed it was growing.
"Turns out it's a benign tumour and another small one above it on the saliva gland. I'm feeling positive about it all and will take the opportunity to rest and slow right down. If you feel a lump or bump or feel like something is a bit off, always go get it checked. I'm so glad I did as the longer you leave these things the more complicated things become."
Following her surgery, Fearne is currently focusing on her "health and recovery".
