She stole the show during her mum’s recent appearance on This Morning, excitedly jumping across the famous sofas and delighting viewers.
And when we arrive at Ferne McCann’s house in Essex for our photo shoot, her three-year-old daughter Sunday is just as entertaining and adorable.
As both of them cuddle up for the camera, Ferne admits the hugs have been in plentiful supply as Sunday was preparing to start school. While she’s thrilled to see her daughter thrive, she admits she can’t believe how fast she’s growing up.
Ferne, 31, tells Closer, “Sunday’s leaving nursery – she’s been there since she was eight months old, she’s nearly four now and she’s starting school. It’s crazy! It’s a massive milestone for her, and for me too. I’m looking forward to the change but I’m very emotional about it. No matter how old she gets, she’ll always be my baby!”
And the star, who found fame in TOWIE in 2013, made sure Sunday was prepared.
Ferne says, “We drove past her school so she was familiar with the journey, I told her the teacher’s name and we picked her uniform together, it helped her understand there’ll be a change. I love watching her develop and she’s getting more grown-up and confident – she’ll come home and say different phrases and completely surprise me. She’s always copying the personalities of her favourite L.O.L. Surprise! dolls – she’s super confident!”
Much has changed for Ferne too, and she insists that being a single mum has been the making of her. She endured a tumultuous time after splitting from Sunday’s father, Arthur Collins, during her pregnancy after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for taking part in an acid attack inside a nightclub in 2017. Since then, determined Ferne has refused to let anything hold her back – she’s fronted her own TV show, Ferne McCann: First Time Mum, which is now in its seventh series, launched her health and fitness platform, Embodyment, last year, and has appeared in a number of reality TV shows.
Opening up about motherhood, she says, “I’m super proud of myself. I’m a single parent, and a lot of my friends say they couldn’t do what I do, but it’s all I’ve known. It’s been one heck of a journey!
“I’ve learned so much and relaxed into it and I’ve no qualms about asking for help. I wasn’t overly maternal before I had Sunday, but the moment I found out I was pregnant, my motherly instincts switched on and I absolutely knew it was my destiny. I’ve learned how to become a mother on the job. I had to mature overnight, I instantly became a mother, a woman and a grown-up all in one. Sunday gave me a purpose in life.”
Ferne recently split from model and marketing manager Jack Padgett, 27, while filming her latest series. The pair, who were friends for five years, started dating last October and moved in together soon after, with the star labelling him The One.
“It’s difficult going through something very personal in the midst of filming, but I had no other option and I’m looking forward to showing that honest side of me,” she says. “Our relationship worked during lockdown, but with life back to normal, it didn’t. I really do struggle with heartbreak and I’m always searching for answers after a break-up. It’s all-consuming for me, but this time around I’ve got a child to look after who needs my attention, and I’m doing good.”
Though she’s described herself as a “sucker for love,” Ferne isn’t in a rush to settle down.
“I’m a hopeless romantic but I’m content and have all I need,” she says. “I’ve surrendered my love life because I’m too busy for love and it would have to take a really good guy for me to date now. There’s something fun about being single! I’m looking forward to finding The One and falling in love but, until that day comes, I’ll have a lot of fun along the way.”
Meanwhile, she’s been open about having therapy for over three years amid personal struggles. She’s credited the sessions with saving her and reveals she’ll continue.
She says, “I still have therapy once a week and I love it. It’s healthy to speak to someone who is completely impartial and it’s freeing to have that safe space, particularly being in the public eye. I don’t know when I’d stop. I can offload and work things out with someone who isn’t connected with my life. It’s not like I hit rock bottom, but it was a healthy decision to take.”
The star has also turned to healing therapies to improve her wellbeing and has even taken the plunge by bathing in freezing temperatures.
She says, “I’ve always been a spiritual being and I’ve recently found my faith. I pray every day and I meditate. I’ve also started having cold baths, and it’s amazing. It speeds up your metabolism and awakens every single cell in your body – it’s a part of my routine now.”
She adds, “I couldn’t be the best version of myself without exercise. I’m a big advocate of getting steps in and making sure I get outdoors every day, it’s a huge boost to your mental health. But don’t get me wrong – I’m a foodie. I love a glass of wine, and I’m the first to dive into a barbecue or have a cheeky takeaway!”
Check out: TOWIE kids - check out the next generation of Essex stars
TOWIE babies slider
1 of 20Amy Childs
The first of the really big names to come from TOWIE, Amy quit the show in 2011 and welcomed her first daughter, Polly, in 2017. She also has a son from a different relationship who she's kept out of the limelight, but accidentally revealed his name was Ritchie in an interview.
2 of 20Georgina Cleverly
Georgina Cleverley – née Dorset – was only on the show for two series and went on to have a two sons with her footballer hubby Tom, who she keeps off social media.
3 of 20Sam Faiers
Sam is mum to daughter Rosie and a son called Paul, who she named after her husband, also called Paul. "We always wanted him to be named Paul after his dad," she said."It's traditional and we didn't have any other names on the list, so he's Paul, and his middle name is Tony after Paul's brother, his Uncle Tony."She's made a household name for herself and her family with her hit reality show, The Mummy Diaries.
4 of 20Billy Faiers
Sam's lookalike big sister Billie is also a mum to two kids of her own, sharing daughter Nelly (five) and son Arthur (three) with her husband Greg Shepherd.
5 of 20Kirk Norcross
Despite being TOWIE's original bad boy, Kirk has overhauled his image in the last few years to be the ultimate family man. He's dad to son Harry, three, and daughter Violett, four - although Violett doesn't feature on his Instagram after her mum made it clear she didn't want her in the public eye.
6 of 20Maria Fowler
Maria is mum to four-year-old Evie who she shares with husband Kelvin Batey, and earlier this year revealed on Instagram that they were preparing to welcome baby number two.Back in 2018, Maria revealed she had suffered a miscarriage, writing on Instagram, "I feel silly even referring to it as a baby as we were really early in the pregnancy and had not yet had a scan but I did grieve and I did feel like I had lost something very special."I feel it is such a cruel twist of fate to get such happy news and then have it taken away. Just like that. No explanation."
7 of 20Chloe Sims
Chloe was already a mum when she joined the cast of TOWIE back in 2011. Her daughter Madison is now 15, and largely stays out of the public eye, although last year Chloe finally revealed Madison's dad was still a close pal, posting a picture to Instagram and writing, "So lots of people have always been interested in who is Maddie's dad, well, here he is..."I was 18, he was 24... all you nosy f--ckers who wanted to know, here he is!"
8 of 20Dan Osborne
TOWIE lothario Dan Osborne already had a son, Teddy, with ex Megan Tomlin when he joined TOWIE. After he was booted in 2015, Dan married EastEnders star Jaqueline Jossa and they have two daughters together, Mia and Ella.
9 of 20Lucy Mecklenburgh
Lucy Mecklenburgh quit TOWIE all the way back in 2013 and since then has had success as an influencer and fitness guru. In 2020 she welcomed her first child with her fiancé, Corrie actor Ryan Thomas, a son they named Roman.
10 of 20Lydia Bright
How cute is this? Long-term best pals Lucy and Lydia were both pregnant at the same time and gave birth just weeks apart. Lydia is going it alone as a single mother to baby Loretta, after splitting with Loretta's dad Lee Cronin during her pregnancy.
11 of 20Ferne McCann
One of TOWIE's most high profile mums, Ferne McCann welcomed her daughter Sunday in 2017following a difficult few months. Shortly before announcing her pregnancy Ferne's boyfriend Arthur Collins was arrested and charged with an acid attack in an East London club that left two victims blind. And weeks before Sunday was born he was sentenced to 20 years.
12 of 20Mario Falcone
TOWIE OG Mario left the show after 15 series, and in 2018 welcomed a son, Parker Jax,with his fiancée Becky Meisner.
13 of 20Chloe Lewis
Chloe quit the show in 2019 after revealing she'd found herself a new relationship and it wasn't long before she and new man Danny Flasher announced they were expecting. They welcomed a healthy baby boy, Beau Lewis, in October 2019.
14 of 20Jake Hall
Meanwhile, Chloe's TOWIE boyfriend Jake Hall went on to have a family of his own. Despite an at times messy relationshipwith Real Housewives of Cheshire's Misse Beqiri, the couple welcomed a daughter in 2018, who they named River.
15 of 20Billi Mucklow
Billi Mucklow, who left TOWIE in 2013, must certainly have her hands full with her huge blended family with footballer fiancé Andy Carroll. The couple are raising Andy's kids from a previous relationship, Lucas and Emilie, and have two of their own together, Arlo and Wolf. In early 2020 they announced they were expecting AGAIN. Phew.
16 of 20Danielle Armstrong
Danielle Armstrong welcomed her first child with long-term pal Tom Edney in May 2020 after being "pregnant forever" and begging fans for tips on inducing labour. She took to Instagram to update followers on the birth, writing, "My world Is complete ud83dudc76ud83cudffcud83dudc95 Orla Mae Edney Born May 26th at 16:30pm, weighing a healthy 8Ibs11".
17 of 20Lauren Pope
Lauren quit TOWIE in 2019 after a staggering nine years on the show. In July 2020, she and her boyfriend welcome a little girl called Raine Anais Keterman.
18 of 20Sam Mucklow and Shelby Tribble
After a whopping three-day labour, Sam and Shelby welcomed their first child, a boy, in November 2020. "Shelby and our beautiful baby boy are both well and healthy," he wrote on Instagram. "Shelby didn't have a straightforward labour so she has been in hospital for five days. She has been an absolute soldier."
19 of 20Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet
TOWIE's power couple Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet welcomed their baby boy Brody on 5th May, 2021. They even reveal that "Mallet" is not actually Tommy's surname, when they introduced baby as Brody Fordham.
20 of 20Lauren Goodger
After years of dreaming of being a mum, Lauren finally welcomed her first child, a daughter called Larose, In July 2021. Sadly when Larose was just a couple of months old, Lauren split from the baby's dad Charles Drury, but is smashing being a single mum.
WATCH: Ferne McCann on breaking up with her ex-boyfriend and her heartbreak plan | First Time Mum Secrets
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‘My pal James Argent is healthier than ever – I’m so proud’
Ferne’s close friend James “Arg” Argent, 33, recently lost 4st following gastric sleeve surgery to remove 70 per cent of his stomach. His battles with his weight have been well-documented and Ferne, who has supported Arg amid his troubles, says she’s proud of her former TOWIE co-star.
She says, “Arg is doing amazing. I saw him last weekend, he’s losing weight and is looking healthy. He’s keeping up with swimming and is back into exercise. He’s one of my best friends and I just want the best for him.
“Life is never going to be plain sailing and there will be ups and downs along the way, and that’s the journey Arg has had. I’m so proud of him, he’s come out the other side and is leading a healthy lifestyle now.”
Ferne and Sunday are L.O.L. Surprise! ambassadors for the launch of the new O.M.G. Birthday Doll