After quitting The Real Housewives Of Cheshire, Dawn Ward swapped her sprawling mansion in WAG hotspot Alderley Edge to carve out a glamorous new life in Dubai.
But she’s still in touch with her friends in the UK, and tells Closer how she supported close pal Coleen Rooney through last year’s Wagatha trial.
The straight-talking mum-of-four, 50, says, “I’ve been friends with Coleen since she was 16 and she’s the most fantastic woman. I absolutely idolise her.
“We spoke a lot leading up to her court case because mine was just before, and I’m really pleased she got the result she did. I’m really looking forward to watching her documentary, because when Coleen does something, she does everything properly.
“And she’s so thoughtful. Recently I had the big 5-0 and she left me a voice note. I love Coleen and her whole family.”
Reality star Dawn – who is married to former footballer Ashley– found herself at the centre of a storm when she was accused of racial abuse and possession of cocaine.
But after a nine-day trial last March , Dawn was found not guilty. She describes the time as “horrific” and reveals she still suffers from PTSD.
She says, “I was quite poorly after it. I got post-traumatic stress disorder. I’m still not over it. I’ll never be the same.
“I’m an inclusive person… all the good things that people do around the world to fight racism… the person who uses racism as a weapon sets all those good things back.
“All 12 jurors waited for me to leave the building to give me a hug. They were lovely – I wanted to go home with them! It’s been very difficult but I can continue to put my life back together now with my family.”
Her new life in Dubai has helped Dawn – who is mum to Darby, 27, Taylor, 25, Charlie, 16, and 13-year-old Aston – move on from it all. She now reveals she spends her days picnicking on the beach with her four grandchildren when they visit and sharing romantic dinners with her husband of 28 years, Ashley, 52.
She says, “Moving is the best thing we ever did, I’m so happy. I do more exercise, I eat a lot more salads and vegetables rather than my pie and chips and a glass of wine. I have a completely different lifestyle. I’m more focused, happy and really enjoying life.”
Last month the couple flew back to London to celebrate the wedding of their daughter Taylor, 25, which Dawn describes as “a special moment”.
She says, “I just sat and cried. I’m quite an emotional person anyway. It was beautiful. Because, you know, you have children and they’re always your babies, regardless of how old they are.”
Revealing that she has shared her secret to a long and happy marriage with her daughter, Dawn explains, “Me and Ashley always try to look after ourselves. I’m a big believer in putting your face on and making an effort. It was three years before he saw me with no make-up!
“The only time I would lock the bathroom door was when I was taking my face off. Once he was banging and said, ‘I’m not bothered, let me in’. I opened the door and he said, ‘Oh God! Does Cindy Crawford look like that without hers?’
“But in all honesty, we are 50-50 on everything. We don’t have secrets. We do a lot of things together. Ashley is my best friend.”
And Dawn – who has had a boob job, an eye lift and a bum lift as well as Botox – is the first to admit she doesn’t aim to grow old gracefully, but says her motto for any cosmetic procedures she undergoes is “less is more”.
“I’m not going to lie, I do love a procedure but I’m all about prevention rather than waiting until I’ve got a face like a carrier bag. I’m always doing little nips and tucks rather than the big thing.”
Dawn says her career has recently had a makeover too after she sold her aesthetics clinic to focus on her interior design brand.
And while she rules out any return to Real Housewive_s_, Dawn says she no longer holds any animosity towards
her co-stars after previously falling out with Leanne Brown, Tanya Bardsley and Magali Gorre.
“I don’t really need to build bridges. I’m very close friends with the majority of the cast, I would say 95 per cent of them,” she says.
“And those that I’m not as good friends with, there’s no hard feelings on my side. But I don’t really need any more friends. My friend circle is big enough.”