Fearne Cotton makes admission about feeling ‘stressed and depleted’ following shock divorce news
Fearne Cotton has spoken out for the first time since announcing her divorce from Jesse Wood, revealing she “doesn’t want to feel depleted, stressed and not present”.
The 43-year-old broadcaster made the candid admission in a pre-recorded episode of her Happy Place podcast, released on Monday.
The comments come just days after Cotton announced the end of her 10-year marriage to Wood, the son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.
Speaking with skincare expert Caroline Hirons on the podcast, Cotton discussed the “toxic pressure that a woman can have it all”.
“I want to grow and expand myself in many ways but I don’t want to feel depleted and stressed out and not be able to be present in my family home, [I want to] have time with my friends, have fun,” she commented.
“There is still that toxic sort of trope that women can have it all, that people believe.”
The candid remarks follow Cotton’s announcement on Friday night that she and Wood would be ending their marriage, with the former couple prioritising their children during this period.
In a statement shared on her Instagram story, Cotton wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage.”
The presenter emphasised their focus on family, adding: “Our priority has been, and will always be, our children. We please ask that you respect the privacy of our family at this time.”
The announcement came shortly after Cotton revealed she was undergoing surgery to remove two benign tumours from her jaw.
The TV host had shared earlier this month that she would be resting “to get better before Christmas” following the operation.
The couple’s split marks the end of their decade-long marriage, which began in July 2014 at Richmond Register Office in south-west London.
Cotton and Wood’s relationship began in Ibiza in 2011, where the couple first met.
Together, they share two children – son Rex and daughter Honey.
Wood, 48, also has two children, Arthur and Lola, from a previous relationship.
The couple announced their engagement in 2013, one year before their wedding at Richmond Register Office.
Cotton has maintained a successful broadcasting career throughout their relationship, having started in children’s television in the late-1990s presenting for GMTV, CITV and CBBC.
She made history in 2007 as the first regular female presenter of the Radio 1 Chart Show, later hosting her own weekday show on the station from 2009.
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In 2015, Cotton stepped down from her Radio 1 mid-morning slot, citing “family and new adventures” after announcing her second pregnancy.
Cotton later joined BBC Radio 2 in 2016, where she became known for hosting Sounds Of The 90s music nostalgia shows.
She currently hosts the Happy Place podcast, featuring interviews with notable celebrities including US actress Riley Keough, David Tennant and singer Perrie Edwards.