She’s known as one of the most glamorous women on TV, and Amanda Holden didn’t disappoint when she turned up at the Chelsea Flower Show with her equally glossy mum, Judith.
And after a recent spate of skimpy bikini pics on social media, Amanda, 53 – who is mum to Lexi, 18, and Hollie Rose, 12, with her producer husband Chris Hughes – tells Closer that she’d love her mum, 73, to adopt her liberal attitude. “My mum always thinks she has to dress a certain way because she’s in her seventies, but I’m very against that,” laughs Amanda. “Women should never dress for age.”
With a smile, Judith adds, “I’m from Cornwall and I love being in the garden, so I’m happier being scruffy. I don’t go to glitzy events all the time.”
Amanda has appeared on the judging panel for Britain’s Got Talent for a whopping 17 years alongside best pal Simon Cowell – and more recently it was announced that she’ll be presenting a mega new dating show to rival Love Island called Cheaters: Unfinished Business. The star – whose affair with actor Neil Morrissey ended her first marriage to comedian Les Dennis in 2003 – will be off to Mallorca to film in a luxury 10-bedroom villa.
“I’m going to take over Hollywood,” smiles Amanda. “Well, if it works, it could be very good. Let’s see what happens. We’re shooting it in a lovely sunny spot, so should be fun. It’s not out until next spring. It’s an amazing concept for a show. It’s all about second chances and relationships and love. It will be a great show.”
Cackling, she adds, “I know what I’m talking about… I’m on my second marriage… currently!”
And despite hosting a new show based around tangled love lives, Amanda admits she’s never had to play Cupid in real life. She reveals, “I’m not a matchmaker because all my friends are fixed up. But I am a natural fixer of things, so if anyone needs a plumber or a hairdresser or tickets to something, I’m your woman.”
The former actress recently hit the headlines after creating her own “Beverly Hills Hotel” by transforming her new £7 million Surrey mansion into a decadent “forever home” – with palm trees, chandeliers and leopard-themed wallpaper.
But she tells us that she won’t be tempted over to America, following rumours she was preparing to move her family across the pond, despite signing a deal with US streaming giant Netflix.
“I would never consider moving out to LA, I’m a Brit girl,” says Amanda. “Everyone I know who lives in Los Angeles, however successful they are, they end up coming home. You can’t beat Britain. We just bought a stunning house too, so I want to spend some time there.”
Amanda has been happily married to hubby Chris for 16 years – but she says life back at home is far from her glamorous daytime gig. She says, “When me and Chris go out for a date night, we’ll either go out for dinner and then come back and watch a boxset. We are super boring. Our favourite thing is watching Netflix. We are currently on the third season of Clarkson’s Farm. It’s such a funny show. We like to keep it real.”
