
Who is Zareena Grewal? Under-fire Yale professor gets support from Internet after pro-Palestine post
Zareena Grewal made a slew of pro-Palestine tweets, voicing her protest against the Israeli government
2023-10-12 14:52

'Shut up and dribble': Trolls shred LeBron James after pro-Israel post
LeBron James uploaded a statement supporting Israel after the Hamas attack which included 'condolences to Israel and the Jewish community'
2023-10-12 14:46

Dawn O’Porter: ‘I fantasise about the other side of menopause’
Knowing her limits is a “revelation”, says Dawn O’Porter, something she discovered in her mid-40s. For the former TV presenter and author – her latest book, Cat Lady, which was released in October last year – it’s something she’s had to learn. “I love drinking booze and eating really indulgent food, but I’m also really into health stuff as well,” she says. “I’m one of those people that’s really good – if I go to a party and it gets to 10:30pm [and] I’m not really feeling the booze, I just stop drinking – but I can stay out until two in the morning. I’m able to turn it off, and I don’t overindulge when I’m done – which I think is a real mid-40s revelation. “I know my limits – I go to everything, I do everything, I just stop when I know I’m done.” For O’Porter, 44, who shares two sons, Art, eight, and Valentine, six, with actor husband Chris O’Dowd, becoming a mother helped shift her perspective. “Since I’ve had kids, I know that I’m going to get woken up at six o’clock in the morning – you’ve got to make better decisions,” she says. “Like everybody, if I don’t do the work, I don’t get paid – and I don’t have the luxury where I can’t get paid. I have to be at my desk at 10 o’clock in the morning, and before I’ve got to my desk I’ve had to feed two humans, get them dressed, get them to school, walk two dogs, pull the house together and do all this stuff. “I know now that when I go on a big night out – which I do all the time, I love it – the next day is a write-off, so I can only do that once a week. It used to be three or four times a week, and it didn’t affect me in the same way. “I definitely feel like it’s a great thing to get to an age when you know what you can and can’t handle.” This “willpower” is something she admits she “didn’t used to have”. But dedicating time to her wellbeing is important, as being in your 40s is a “weird time”, she admits. “You know what’s coming – menopause is coming. What are we in for? So I feel like I’m going to do my very best for myself until that happens. It might be fine, it might not – I don’t know.” O’Porter adds: “It feels nice to go into it in the best health you can be. I’m not an exercise person – I get really into Pilates for two months and never do it again – so I’m consistent about healthy food and skincare and all that kind of stuff.” She’s reminded of a speech Kristin Scott Thomas makes about menopause in the BBC black comedy Fleabag, where she says: “It is horrendous, but then it’s magnificent – something to look forward to.” O’Porter adds: “As someone who has had cramps and really suffered for so much of my life, I fantasise about the other side of menopause – it’s like this giant mountain you have to get over. “I might smooth through it and not even know it’s happening, or I might be one of those people who has a very difficult time – I’ve got no idea. I just want to feel good when I go into it. “I do feel like there’s this freedom on the other side – I’ll be rid of all the things that have weighed me down physically for so many years, and be pain-free and happy.” A healthy diet is particularly important for O’Porter, who can’t eat gluten because it causes her “quite severe pain”. She says: “I have to think about food a lot more than people who can eat gluten – I really read packages and all that stuff. And I’m obsessed with my skin – I really try and eat food that’s really, really good for my skin.” Other aspects of her self-care routine include taking supplements (“If somebody says it stimulates collagen, I’ll literally buy 10 of it!”), taking Epsom salt baths and carving out the time to read before bed. “I think that’s really looking after myself, [so] when I have nights where I’m completely hedonistic and start drinking at 10 o’clock in the morning and don’t get home until four, that’s fine. Because I take care of myself the rest of the time, I think my face survives the hangovers and the dehydration.” After 15 years living in America, in June this year, O’Porter and her family moved from Los Angeles to London – and she couldn’t be happier to be back. “There’s quite a transient vibe to LA, because very few people are born and bred there – there are some, obviously, but most people have come out for some sort of work experience they’re having. They either stay or go, and there’s this constant movement of people. “It was hard to imagine getting older there and settling, there was always this feeling of no matter who we’ve got in our lives, they will come and go – and that unsettled me in the last few years.” Back in London, “Everything I do is an investment in the future of living here, which feels really lovely,” O’Porter enthuses. “Every relationship I make – all my girlfriends or my mum friends – everybody is here for keeps.” She’s particularly looking forward to spending Christmas on this side of the world. “I started planning Christmas months ago – where we’re going to be, what we’re going to do, because ultimately, I love hosting it. I love doing the whole thing myself.” She’s hoping to host this year, and foresees absolutely no festive pressures, saying: “It doesn’t stress me out at all, I’d say it’s me at my absolute best. “I cook like Christmas Day on every Sunday for lots of people, I love it so much. I get really into it and I start drinking about 10 in the morning – it makes it more fun – we play Christmas songs and get the wine going early and cook all day.” Plus O’Porter – who is offering shopping consultations in collaboration with Etsy ahead of Christmas – is extremely easy to buy for. “I’m really easy. I genuinely say this from the bottom of my heart – go on Etsy and put in ‘cat’ and you can get me anything, any handmade anything – if it’s got my name on it, even better, with a cat on it. I am so simple.” To find thoughtful gifts for loved ones this Christmas and beyond, head to etsy.com/uk. Read More Everything you need to know about bedbugs as increase in numbers is predicted PE ‘enjoyment gap’ widens for girls: Why it matters and how we can help The psychology of Big Brother: How to survive in the house How to support someone coming out in their 30s and beyond Israel-Hamas conflict: How to talk to teenagers about distressing news stories Autumn décor ideas for a seasonal refresh
2023-10-12 14:29

How much weight has Tammy Slaton lost? '1000-lb Sisters' star competes with sister Amy Slaton as she shows off drastic change
'1000-lb Sisters' star Tammy Slaton weighs just 30 lbs more than her sister Amy Slaton
2023-10-12 14:29

Michael Rapaport leaves internet shocked as he cusses 'The Masked Singer' Season 10 judges
Comedian Michael Rapaport shared a video after Pickle was eliminated from 'The Masked Singer' Season 10
2023-10-12 14:28

'Jeopardy!' host Mayim Bialik holds back tears as she reads heartbreaking final messages from Israelis killed in war
Mayim Bialik struggled to hold back her tears as she read the last texts of victims of Hamas attack
2023-10-12 14:26

Who is Cindy Flash? Minnesota mom and Palestinian rights advocate possibly held hostage by Hamas
Cindy Flash, who immigrated to be a voice for peace and advocate for Palestinian rights may have been kidnapped by militants during the Gaza violence
2023-10-12 14:24

Strike talks break off between Hollywood actors and studios
Strike talks have broken off between Hollywood actors and studios
2023-10-12 14:22

Japan government panel to decide whether to ask court to revoke legal status of Unification Church
Japan’s government is convening a religious affairs council to decide whether to seek a court order to revoke legal status of the Unification Church
2023-10-12 14:16

Judge to hear arguments from TikTok and content creators who are challenging Montana's ban on app
A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments in a case filed by TikTok and five Montana content creators who want the court to block the state's ban on the video sharing app before it takes effect Jan. 1
2023-10-12 13:58

After troubled start, New York is shaking up its legal marijuana market with new competitors
New York is dramatically expanding a legal marijuana market plagued by a sluggish rollout of retail stores
2023-10-12 13:58

Andrew Tate invites Lord Miles for 'Emergency Meeting' podcast as he compares Romanian and Afghan prisons
Andrew Tate has a history of collaborating with social media figures who often find themselves embroiled in controversy
2023-10-12 13:55