BBC Radio 2 icon Jo Whiley has insisted her children will never use her name to benefit their own careers as she revealed their ‘horrified’ reaction to nepo-baby claims
BBC Radio 2 host Jo Whiley has admitted her children are “horrified” at being called nepo-babies as she insisted they will never take advantage of her star power. The radio star, 59, has created an incredible career on the airwaves spanning three decades.
She has been on air since 1993 and presented her own BBC Radio 1 show from 2001 to 2009. Jo has since moved over to BBC Radio 2 and has become the face of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage.
Her impressive jobs mean Jo has rubbed shoulders with some huge names including Madonna, George Michael and David Bowie and has even introduced her children to some “very, very cool people”. However, Jo, who shares her four children with music executive Steve Morton, has insisted they won’t benefit from her connections.
Jo’s kids India, 33, Jude, 26, Cassius, 24, and Coco, 16, are keen to make their own way in the world and not rely on their famous mum for a leg up. In recent years there has been huge debate over children of famous parents gaining opportunities due to their family connections rather than their solely their own talent or hard work.
Jo told the Sun: “My kids will never be nepo babies. They are very determined never ever to make it because I’m their mum.” She admitted: “It really horrifies them – the thought that anybody would ever employ them because of what I do.
“So they’re so determined to get jobs and do work on their own merits, and they will never take advantage of me at all.” The radio star insisted her four children will “never” use her name to get them somewhere.
Jo and youngest daughter Coco are among the lucky ones who’ve managed to bag tickets to see Oasis live this year – something she never thought she’d see. “I said Oasis would never get back together again, so I’m not going to predict anything!” she told OK! Magazine.
“Coco’s so excited about seeing them, and it’s kind of given me a renewed love of them too, so I’m really excited about going to see them. It’ll be very emotional for everybody who goes, and it’ll also be interesting to see how the boys are on stage these days.”
Over the summer, Jo will also mark her 60th birthday. She is planning to have her family come together to celebrate at her Northamptonshire home.
“I’m having a barn dance,” she revealed. “I did it 10 years ago, so I thought I might as well do it again. We’ll have a big old hoedown – cowboy boots, gingham, the lot.
“Or maybe I’ll be Calamity Jane. I’m definitely dressing up. We have lots of parties and people always get dressed up. We’ve got the most insane fancy dress emporium above the garage, with many boxes of costumes we’ve worn over the years. I could open a fancy dress shop!”
She even counts Coldplay frontman Chris Martin as one of her close friends, and revealed he’s always on hand when she needs a pep talk. “If ever I’ve had a tough time or something’s going on, I’ve often turned to Chris, and he’s really good at dispensing advice,” she shared.
“He tells me to just chill out. He’s wise. I can’t think of any particular piece of advice because they’re often like long poems.”
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