This Morning star reveals shock marriage struggle with couples therapy

Kate Lawler, a This Morning star, admitted how couples therapy helped her and her three-year husband Martin Bojtos. She also admitted how couples therapy helped her overcome her marital difficulties.

Incredibly, it’s been more than two decades since Kate Lawler made history as the first woman to win Big Brother . But the 44-year-old still has the same cheeky, playful demeanour that won over viewers as we sit down for an exclusive interview.

Now a doting mum to five-year-old daughter Noa and two dogs, who she shares with husband Martin Bojtos, Kate tells us she’s mellowed since her escapades in the famous house. “When I was in my twenties I partied hard. But then, in my thirties, I became a dog parent. I started to settle down and do more wholesome things at the weekend,” she explains. “I reduced my alcohol intake and went to the gym a lot more.”

Kate says she’s glad there’s little evidence of her wild days on Big Brother back in 2002, including in-house romances and breaking tables with Alison Hammond. “I could not be happier that I did that show before social media,” she laughs. “I think I would have been cancelled!”

One thing Kate does use social media for is to speak candidly to her fans, including sharing the highs and lows of motherhood with Noa – a journey which hasn’t been easy following a battle with postnatal depression.

“When I first had Noa, I felt like no one was being open to me about how difficult it was to raise a child and how you could love them with all your beings at the same time. It has a profound impact.

Kate acknowledges that her relationship with Martin, who she met in 2013 and wed in 2022, was “a burden on your relationship.” So I’m like, “Hey, just so you know, if your relationship is bad after having a child, it’s completely normal.” There are resources available to assist you. I’m not sure where we would be without our therapist, Diana.

As Kate chats from her hotel room during a weekend getaway with her family, she is just one day away from Noa’s fifth birthday. It’s obvious she doestes on her little one as she jokes that she has made the celebrations worth it all.

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She exclaims, “Watching her develop and become more independent is just crazy and amazing.” “I’m a mother to a whole lot. Because it took me a long time to be convinced, I’m so glad I did it.

We ponder whether the couple wants any more young children. We had this conversation at breakfast, Kate says. Noa said, “I really want you to have another baby.” However, I really want a dog, not a puppy!

Noa, I’d love to have her as a brother or sister, but I’m too tired. My husband, my toddler, my two dogs, and I are the only people I can look after. There is nothing else I need.

Kate admits to occasionally finding it difficult to balance her work and personal lives with a new podcast called Boj &amp, Kate Have A Lot On Their Plate. I do put myself under pressure. My husband always says, “I can see you going crazy again, I can see you’re going to break out.” You look at me in the eyes, she says.

It’s difficult to balance work and life, and time for yourself, they say. My nails are sore; I can’t recall the last time I had a pedicure. She says while playfully hanging her head, “I need to improve at that.

Exercise, which has recently fallen out of Kate’s routine, is something she has decided to make more time for this year. I’m currently in the throes of all the symptoms associated with that period of my life, and lifting weights and exercising are key components of that process. My husband and I launched the podcast a few months ago, which has taken up a lot of my time. I’m trying to exercise more than I normally would.

“I’ll go out and walk a dog, even if that’s all I do,” she says. “That’s why having dogs is amazing. As Kate frequently stops to give her adorably eager pooches some love and attention, her dogs, Border Terrier Baxter and mixed breed terrier Shirley, are becoming crystal clear throughout our conversation.

She goes on to say that the unconditional love you can receive from a dog, no matter what kind of day, is amazing. My dogs are a joy, despite the difficulties they have encountered. They are pure magic. They can change your mood by simply staring at you and jumping on you. She cuddles me, licks my ear, and places her paws on my shoulder. She just wants to be on my lap, which I like, despite how annoying it is. She enjoys holding hands.

Kate and Adaptil are collaborating on this month’s Pet Anxiety Month campaign, which is dedicated to keeping dogs safe. She is aware of the difficulties that it can present for her two anxious dogs.

She claims that when I rescued my second dog about seven years ago, she was so anxious. She was extremely anxious on walks, and I wish I had known about Adaptil back then. She would bark at any dog she saw. She was also anxious around other people, so much so that she would roll on her back and wet herself if you approached her too quickly.

She became less anxious and with time, trust, and training, but over the past few years, she’s really struggled with fireworks. So when someone mentioned Adaptil to me as a way to help her deal with her anxiety during firework season, I was looking for solutions.

Kate is urging more regulations to be put in place to protect our four-legged friends after seeing first-hand how her dogs have struggled with loud explosions.

She claims that “it’s about time laws were changed” regarding the use of fireworks. Although fireworks have always been a part of our culture and people have the right to enjoy them, I don’t think we should outlaw them because it’s already getting to the point where fireworks are being sprayed all year long. It’s also appropriate for all wildlife, farm animals, and PTSD sufferers. Firework displays should only be held on weekends each month and cannot only be purchased by large organizations, according to the law. Have some drones or silent fireworks for all other festivals and events.

Kate emotionally acknowledges that she is preparing her young daughter for the reality that Baxter, who has pancreatitis and kidney failure, won’t be around forever.

“We’re currently making up a little box of his footprints, things like that, to remember him by. My husband thinks I’m preparing Noa too much, but I just think at least she’ll be ready when it does happen. I’m definitely ready now, especially after he had pancreatitis again recently. It’s super painful and older dogs generally don’t recover as well, so he’s lucky he’s got over it twice.

She continues, “It’s horrible to watch them suffer,” she says. When the time comes, I’m certain we’ll end Baxter. I’m not interested in going to the vet’s. In our home, I want to bid him farewell.

Source: Mirror