Katie Piper,TV presenter, author and passionate activist, is happily married to Richard Sutton but even the most perfect-seeming unions she tells us take a lot of hard work

Katie Piper opens up on long-term love, parenting and and what truly drives her in life

As we catch up with Katie Piper to chat all things life and love, she’s doing what she does best – juggling. As well as being a bestselling author, she’s wrapping up her feel-good ITV summer series, Katie Piper’s Weekend Escape, and helping her two daughters as they return to school. She’s also about to celebrate her 10 year wedding anniversary with her carpenter and builder husband, Richard Sutton, next month.

In an exclusive chat with new, the Loose Women host, 41, shares more exclusively with OK! about what drives her, introduces a special new member of the family, and makes some candid admissions about marriage…

The present and her carpenter husband are set to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary(Image: Getty Images for The Walt Disney)

Hi Katie. How have you been?

Busy! I’ve been doing the weekend show which I’ve loved, and I brought out my Still Beautiful book in June and was so thrilled with the response. It’s a bit autobiographical, a letter to my younger self, with some self-help. It’s about ageing, and why so many of us have felt “not good enough”.

Do you worry about the messages we’re sending women?

It’s like the famous monologue in the Barbie movie: “You have to be thin, but not too thin… and you can never say you want to be thin, you have to say you want to be healthy. But also you have to be thin.” So it isn’t all about the “wrong” message, it’s about fewer messages! We should encourage women to find what they’re passionate about and stop trying to conform to become a perfect doll.

What made you write the book ?

In my twenties, I was told beauty is a woman’s most powerful currency. When I turned 40, I felt age discrimination creeping in where we’re telling women the second most powerful currency they have is youth. It’s a crazy, depressing narrative. I work with really amazing older women who don’t fit western beauty standards and they’re hugely successful, happy people.

Do you have any insecurities?

Of course! But self-worth and confidence is a constant work in progress, not a destination. Sport is very important to me because my physical health has been out of my control many times at such an unusually young age. When I can get well and go for my run and gym sessions or Pilates, even if it’s a placebo effect, I feel good.

Katie admits she felt incrimination ‘creeping in’ once she hit 40(Image: ITV)

You’re working with ASICS on a campaign to help keep girls involved in sport. What made you sign up?

It feels like a public health issue. Sixty four per cent of teenage girls drop out of sport before 16. Boys often keep sports going, playing five-a-side as adults, but women often don’t, and the main reason is because we felt uncomfortable as kids.

Did you follow that pattern yourself?

Yes, at secondary school it was “one size fits all”, for every shape and size, whatever stage you were at in puberty, whether you were on your period or not, whatever the weather. As a result, I dropped out of sports. It’s crazy because now I’m a competitive runner! I feel sad for my younger self. The campaign shows most girls would participate more if they had a suitable kit, and that’s what we’ve done. This isn’t about creating the next generation of athletes, it’s about sport helping with confidence and empowerment.

What fires you up to tackle issues like this?

My own experience as a young woman, then being told later in life that “your face doesn’t fit, you don’t belong here”. Breaking through those barriers made me really passionate about making change. Life also changed when I had my daughters. My eldest started senior school this year, and they’re both experiencing really formative years.

How easy was the adjustment to senior school?

I felt a bit sad when I let her walk away, it’s the end of an era. But she was pure excitement so I decided to embrace it. It’s a better world than when I started year seven so, even though I had a few tears pricking my eyes, I felt hopeful, too.

Katie’s TV work includes Loose Women, some hard-hitting documentaries and her own weekend show(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

You and Richard have your 10 year wedding anniversary next month. How would you sum up the last decade?

I haven’t actually been thinking about it. In some ways that shows it’s flown by! But it’s important to be honest, and staying married for 10 years has been a struggle at times.

At first it’s all romance, excitement and lust, but then the day-to-day of marriage is a practice you have to choose to keep doing. Sometimes your motivation goes, but the discipline hopefully remains. I try not to be mushy on Instagram because I’m always conscious that I was single – not by choice – for a long time, and seeing other people loved-up was hard.

Are you affectionate away from social media?

Yes, it’s really important for the connection. I don’t want my kids to think a relationship is a logistical, transactional thing. I want them to see us as a couple as well as parents.

You’ve just welcomed a little rescue puppy, haven’t you?

Sugar, from Battersea. She was abandoned in a litter of eight with her mum. She loves Richie most, but she’s full of energy and comes running with me, which is lovely!

Work-wise, what’s coming up?

I’m still loving Katie Piper’s Weekend Escape, which is super wholesome. I also brought out another kids’ book, The Greatest Gift, and I’ve done a couple of documentaries, including one in a women’s prison in Louisiana. It’s hard to know what’s coming next, but whatever it is will link back to female empowerment. Women can do great things when we support each other.