Lorraine Kelly has admitted she plans to “spoil” her granddaughter baby Billie but has addressed the notion that she and her daughter Billie may be putting the 16-month-old in the public eye
Scottish daytime TV legend Lorraine Kelly has proved to be quite the granny extraordinaire, since her daughter Rosie welcomed her first child, a little girl, Billie, last August with fiancé, Steve White. Here, along with Rosie, 31, Lorraine’s only child with TV cameraman husband of 33 years, Steve Smith, she tells about their Christmas plans – including how she’s going to unashamedly spoil the youngest member of the clan this festive season.
Bubbly and down-to-earth as ever, Lorraine, 65, laughing, also opens up on her plans to wear the ‘biggest hat ever’ at her daughter’s wedding next year – and shares her true feelings about upcoming changes at ITV – including her own beloved show, Lorraine…
Hi both, ready for Christmas?
Lorraine: Oh, it’s the same every year, we get a shock, it comes around so fast!
Rosie: I was sorted early this year. Bit mad. But mum and dad’s birthdays are in November, so I do that and then kind of do Christmas at the same time.
Lorraine: My daughter’s very organised. She has a spreadsheet for everything. I’m afraid I’ve done nothing ’cause we moved house quite recently, to be closer to Billie and Rosie – so we’ve been up to our eyeballs with the move!
How are you spending the day itself?
Rosie : I’ll have Christmas morning at my house, then walk to mum’s house. It’s only a six-minute walk away or a minute’s drive. Boxing Day we’ll do Christmas again, so we have two Christmases, at my partner’s parents house with Billie.
Is Billie more aware of Christmas this time round? Rosie: Last year she was only four months old, so she didn’t really know anything. This year she’s a little bit more like ‘Ooh…’ She loves looking at the tree and all the sparkles.
You might be the most famous granny in the country, Lorraine. Are you going to be spoiling Billie?
Oh, totally! When I tell you that I haven’t got any presents, clearly I’ve got all of Billie’s presents. The trouble is, I buy her something and don’t want to wait!
And what about Steve, is he a doting granddad?
Haha, trouble is, I’ve got a Steve and Rosie’s got a Steve – you don’t want to say Old Steve and Young Steve because that’s a bit weird. Maybe Scottish Steve and English Steve? Big Steve? But yes, my goodness, my husband’s obsessed!
He’s very Scottish so he doesn’t show it perhaps as much as I do. But it genuinely gives him a new lease of life. When you’re the parents, I think it’s more difficult. But as grandparents you just see the world through their little eyes.
Rosie, what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned since becoming a mum?
I knew it would be full on, but I didn’t expect it to be constant! I also didn’t expect the sleep thing would be an issue and my God, I’m in shock. You’re like a zombie the first couple of months. I still feel like a zombie now. But she’s a good baby, we’re very happy.
Are you considering baby number two at all?
Not any time soon! I’ve got a lot coming up – like getting married next year. I want to focus on the wedding and then we’ll see. I do have a couple of friends who had their babies at the same time as me and are already pregnant again. I just think they’re mad but they’re born to be mums, they’re super mums.
How are you preparing as mother-of-the-bride, Lorraine?
You’ll probably see my hat from space. No, I’m joking – I don’t think I’m gonna do that! It’s going to be such a lovely, typical Scottish wedding, very relaxed. We want the boys in kilts. Billie will be nearly two, I think, so she’ll be a wee flower girl.
Billie’s been on telly a few times now – do you ever worry that it’s early to be putting her in the public eye?
Lorraine: I know what you mean – I was very much like that with Rosie.
Rosie: I think at this age, every baby kind of looks like a baby right now. But later on – no. I won’t put her on. It’s the same with social media. Even now, I’m picky with what we do.
Lorraine : Rosie posts Billie’s outfit of the day, every day on her Instagram. It’s lovely. Everybody’s been so kind. When she was born, viewers actually took the trouble to knit blankets for her, which she uses and gorgeous little cardigans and shawls.
Lorraine, you’re very open on TV – do viewers feel like they know you?
Yeah, it happens all the time when we’re out and about – people chat away like we’re old friends! I think it’s just ’cause I’ve been doing it for such a long time, 41 years now. I can’t believe it. People really have grown up with me and had their own kids .
Did the news of reduced episodes from next year come as a shock?
Not really. I’m just glad that we’re still here. It wasn’t a decision that I made. I just feel lucky to still be doing what I love – and what’s not to love? Next year our regulars will still be there, Dr. Hilary, Doctor Amir,Mark Hayes and Ross King. It’ll be different. But I’ve been through many regime changes. it will still be really good fun and I still really, really enjoy it. So I feel very lucky.
Have things have changed for women on TV since you were pregnant?
When I started, Anne Diamond was doing TV AM and she was one of the first women that sat on a sofa on live television visibly pregnant. People said, ‘Oh my gosh, the world is going to end!’ She was a real trailblazer and made it easier for people like myself to do that.
Famous faces debuting their bumps is now a regular occurrence…
Yes, just look at the Fashion Awards recently, where Sienna Miller and Ellie Goulding showed off their bumps – and looked absolutely stunning. I salute that. It’s absolutely brilliant to celebrate when women are pregnant and then have their children. We’ve got to make the world a more child-friendly place. But we’ve got a long way to go.
You’ve teamed up with EE for their Christmas campaign – tell us more…
Well their research suggests that Brits are preparing to have up to three Christmas days, travelling between multiple homes! So it’s about staying in touch with loved ones. A main part of our day is actually gonna be phoning and making video calls, to people that live far away – like Graham, my brother, who lives in Singapore.
Calling my mum, Rosie’s granny – though she’s not that bothered about us now, we’ve gone down the list of priorities. It’s all about her great-granddaughter! And she’ll want to see her. That’s when you need your internet, your Wi-Fi. So you can do all of that, which is very special and necessary over Christmas!
Lorraine Kelly and Rosie Smith have teamed up with EE to share how they’re using EE’s broadband and mobile network to make things run smoother. Find out more and watch the Christmas campaign at www.ee.co.uk/eedoesmore
