Tracey Spicer revels in ageing ‘disgracefully’

Former newsreader Tracey Spicer has told The Daily Telegraph about how she has revelled in entering middle age and throwing the rule book of what women should care about out the window. 

Ahead of her 50th Birthday, Spicer is eager to do all of the things she hasn’t allowed herself to do over her years of needing to look a certain way on camera, and has even embraced gaining weight as she finally allows herself to indulge in desserts. 

“After years of restricting pleasure for the sake of maintaining the perfect TV size 10, I’ve allowed myself to put on weight,” she said.

“I’ve gained five kilos and some of my outfits don’t fit. But I don’t give a sh*t. I’m not even thinking, ‘Oh gosh, when am I going to lose that weight I deliberately put on?’”

Hair-dying and makeup were the next to go, bar special occasions. 

“Grey doesn’t make you a witch or a crone or a harridan,” she said.

“I suspect I was going grey in my 20s but didn’t know it because I’ve always dyed my hair. Now I wish it could all be grey.”

Read more: Let’s talk about breasts: Tracey Spicer shows why you should book a mammogram today

The down-to-earth newsreader and now author is also a big fan of swearing to break stereotypes of older women, and looks up to Helen Mirren in this regard. 

“When I see Helen Mirren swearing like a sailor and looking like the Queen, I think it’s fantastic.”

“I’m totally reconciled to middle age and think it’s a shame that society forces us to catastrophise about it.”

Do you agree with Tracey Spicer’s approach to ageing?