Despite many changes to the ITV's various breakfast shows over the years, there has been one face who has remained a constant presence, and that's Lorraine Kelly.
Regarded as the queen of breakfast telly thanks to her reassuring nature, infectious giggle and naughty sense of humour, it's not hard to see why she's always been so popular with viewers and co-stars alike during her 30-year career.
Reassuringly, Lorraine is exactly as the same as we sit down for a chat in the latest of our WISE WORDS interview series, where stars from a whole range of fields share the important life lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Here, she tells HuffPost UK of the one interview she's sad she'll never get to do, how she's still learning something new every day, and why she'll always wear her best shoes to put the bins out.
What do you do to switch off from the world?
I go to my friend Maxine’s Zumba class on a Monday and a Wednesday - it’s wonderful! It’s in a church hall, it’s a fiver, and for that hour, in my head, I’m beyond me. Mentally, it’s amazing, it’s a stress-buster. Physically, you sweat like a pig. You get to my age and you don’t get to go out dancing unless you go to a wedding - it’s a joy!
How do you deal with negativity?
The world is divided into people that are fountains and drains, and I can’t bear having drains around me - I haven’t got the energy or the time for it anymore. You have to set the tone, and I hate people who walk into a room and suck all the oxygen out of it - I can’t be doing with it! We’re here for such a short time and it’s actually less effort to be pleasant and nice than it is to be horrible and miserable.
When and where are you happiest?
When I’m surrounded by my pals and my family. Sometimes it’s the little things that make you happy like my daughter will pick me up from the airport, and if a song comes on and we start singing along. Putting the washing out or tidying the knicker drawer are actually very satisfying. Seriously!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
My gran said to me to never keep anything for best. If you got a really lovely pair of shoes, or a dress, or some underwear and it’s in your cupboard for best, don’t keep it, wear it. And wear your best shoes to take the bins.
What has been the hardest lesson you’ve learned?
As I’ve got older, I’ve got less hard on myself. But I don’t think there’s been a tough lesson - I think I’m still learning, I’ve not grown up yet! Every day that I’m doing the show, I learn something new. I’m very lucky in that respect.
What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
Enjoy every nanosecond of what you’re doing, don’t be so hard on yourself, you look fabulous, and everything is going to be ok. I was a terrible worrier as a kid. Just have more fun!
What three things are at the top of your to-do list?
I’m so bloody lucky that I’ve done all these things, but I’d like to do more travelling. I want to go to Antarctica, Georgia and Mongolia. I would have said to meet David Bowie, because he was at the top of my wish list. But in a way, maybe that’s the way it was meant to be.
What do you think happens when we die?
I don’t know. I’m not a religious person but I live my life in the way of ‘do as you would be done by’. It must be wonderful to have faith and to have that comfort that you will toddle off, grow wings and go and sit on random clouds. I think you do live on, but in other people - in your friends and everybody that loved you and knew you.
When do you feel a sense that we live in the presence of something bigger than ourselves?
I’m terrible, I don’t tend to dwell on these things. I guess it’s because I’m always so blinking busy and running around. Maybe when I’m older I will start to reflect. Sometimes I think we lose sight of what’s really important though, and that’s how we treat one another and how decent we are. I’m a great believer in karma and I see it all the time. People that have been horrible, they always gets their comeuppance.
What do you try to bring to your relationships?
Especially in a work situation, it’s about feeling comfortable. Trust as well. People tell me things all the time, and half the time I forget them, but they know I would never betray their confidence. That’s really important, especially in the the job that I do. And to make people feel good about themselves - I like to think I’m a fountain rather than a big old drain.
What keeps you grounded?
My family. If I showed any signs at all of any sort of diva behaviour, I would get completely slapped down. I go home most weekends back up to Scotland, and I go to watch the football and go for walks with my friends, and we go to the pub or go out for dinner. I don’t really have a showbizzy lifestyle, I have a very normal life and it’s all the better for it.
What was the last good deed or act of kindness you received?
That happens a lot actually. What I love is when the chefs come in, they always make two of everything because they know I don’t cook. I’m hopeless. I’ve basically got my own chef!
'Penguin A&E With Lorraine Kelly' airs Tuesdays at 9pm on Channel 5 from 10 May.
