Naked Attraction's Anna Richardson opens up on 'painful' Sue Perkins split

TV's straight-talking Anna Richardson isn't one for mincing her words, and she's not about to start now. "Just because I'm a certain age, doesn't mean I suddenly want to wear a twin-set and pearls," the 54 year old chuckles during our video chat. "Absolutely bloody not." Known for hosting the risqué dating show Naked Attraction, as well as Supersize vs Superskinny, The Sex Education Show, and Secret Eaters, Anna has recently been delving into more personal ventures. Her documentary Love, Loss and Dementia was a poignant exploration of her father Jim's struggle with vascular dementia, aiming to bring awareness to the illness.

"It's probably the hardest thing I've ever done," she admits. "The process of filming is stressful enough, but coupled with a parent suffering from dementia... it's just heartbreaking." Post her high-profile breakup with Bake Off star Sue Perkins nearly two years ago, reports OK!, Anna is candid about navigating life post-heartbreak, tackling menopause, and whether she'd ever consider stepping into a Naked Attraction pod herself...

Hi, Anna! You’ve spoken in the past about menopause — what has your experience been like?

I personally found it very difficult to navigate, but then again I found my reproductive years a challenge. There’s this idea that if you struggled with PMS, then the chances are you may well struggle with your menopause, because at the end of the day it is a sensitivity to hormone fluctuations. I experienced fewer of the physical symptoms and more of the psychological and mental health ones. I got a lot of brain fog, and suffered from anxiety and depression. I had to be careful about finding the right balance. I’m on HRT now but it wasn’t an easy journey. I rely on a lot of other things — I call it my toolkit — such as seeing a therapist regularly and taking supplements. I take vitamin D, collagen powder and ashwagandha.

You also went through a rather public split a few years ago, didn’t you?

I did, but the fantastic news is that Sue [Perkins] and I are really close - we are still excellent friends. We see each other all the time — in fact, I’m going to be seeing her after this interview. It was very painful at the time, but now we’re friends, and it just goes to show that love can metamorphose, and it can endure. It took me some time to get over it but then I made a very clear decision in my head that I’m happy when I’m in a relationship. I’m not one of those people that does well on their own, I’m built to be with another person. After about a year of being single, I was miserable as hell so I put it out there to all of my mates that I was ready to meet somebody —boy or girl, I didn’t care.

And did you end up meeting someone after that?

I met a lovely guy and we’ve been together ever since. I just wanted a kind person and someone who would put me first. It was a friend of mine who set me up, they said, “I know someone who is going through a divorce but I think he’s ready to meet someone, I think you would make a really good couple.”

You’ve got a lot of career accolades under your belt — do you ever still get ‘pinch-me’ moments?

I think it’s so important that you asked that question. The other week, I sat and wrote down what I’d achieved over my career. Yes, I’ve been on telly for 30 years – but what have I actually achieved? When I looked at the list, I was gobsmacked and I have a lot to be proud of. Naked Attraction is definitely up there. On one hand it’s cult viewing, and on the other there’s a bigger message underneath — which is why I wanted to do it in the first place. It’s about acceptance and self-acceptance. And then there’s the documentary I did with my dad. As women, we’re not very good at owning our achievements, but I got a real dopamine hit from writing them down.

You mentioned the documentary with your dad — what was that like to film?

It was a difficult but personal journey for me. In a way, it’s a love letter to my dad. We’re not an emotional family and we’re not very good at telling each other that we love them. This was my way of saying ‘you’re important to me’. I’ve also never had such a strong response from the public about a show before. I’ve been lobbying in parliament to try and make a difference when it comes to dementia care.

We have to ask — would you ever go on Naked Attraction yourself?

No, I wouldn’t [laughs]! It’s a cop-out for me to say I’m in a very happy relationship but, truthfully, I know too much about what goes on. And it involves a lot of bodily fluids… What does fashion mean to you? Fashion is your identity, it is your personality, it is the face that you’re showing to the world. It can be a real reflection of your subconscious mind. Inhabit your ‘inner queen age’ and just express yourself.

Can you tell us more about your new collaboration with JD Williams?

I’m 54 years old, and a lot of the other brands on offer seem to target that ‘skinny, youthful and beautiful’ aesthetic or put a real emphasis on trends. I found myself not being represented but with JD Williams, I feel included. When you hit this age, women are at the peak of their lives, in terms of families, careers and spending power — we know what we want and don’t want. We’re a very powerful group, but 73% of my age group felt irritated that society deemed that we should be starting to dress more age appropriately, which is so wrong.

Is body confidence something you’ve ever struggled with?

I’ve written two diet books and I’ve fronted a ton of diet shows. I’ve done a million diets myself and my weight has gone up and down. Everything changes when you hit menopause, too. Even when I was at school, I was never the thinnest girl in the class. I’m just not built that way — but one thing I am really glad to see is how society is changing. Now that we’re in 2024, we actually celebrate that our bodies are different. We love that this collection looks at self-prioritisation.

Do you feel like you finally have more time for yourself?

You’ve got to remember I never had children. Although I’m in my fifties now, I didn’t spend my twenties or thirties raising a family, and I look around at a lot of my other friends who did and how hard they’ve worked as mums. They had to juggle a lot between kids and career, whereas I just had my career. You could say that I’ve put myself first for several decades. But I think society doesn’t value midlife women, so I’m focusing on my value in the world.

Value is something you certainly have…

Thank you, and I do think there’s a lot of judgement on women who haven’t had children, for whatever reason. Truthfully, by the time I sort of thought about it, it was difficult for me to have kids. I’ve just been absolutely passionate about my career and my voice, but you’re right. There’s no point in comparing things.

Is there anything in life you would like to try that you haven’t already?

I’m still really curious about becoming a parent. I’m still in the process of thinking about adopting or fostering, I would like to become a mum. If I could make a difference to a child in some way… well, that’s something I’m still pondering over.

Anna Richardson and Kelle Bryan have collaborated with JD Williams for its Midlife Rede ned initiative, aimed at addressing the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women in midlife. To launch the campaign, the duo helped curate a Partywear Edit which has been styled by brand ambassador, Gok Wan. JD Williams is committed to designing clothes – in sizes 8-32 – that accommodate the ever-changing silhouettes of midlife women.