Fearne Cotton on finally finding her happy place: 'I've made a lot of mistakes'

When HELLO! sat down with Fearne Cotton earlier in January, the Happy Place founder was as upbeat as you'd imagine someone whose brand is based on bringing good vibes to her followers would be.

The only mention she made of her split from her husband, Jesse Wood, was a wryly raised eyebrow as she noted: "I can't pretend everything's going swimmingly. I think we all know that's not true."

That said, she spoke candidly of the mistakes she's made over the years, noting that at 43, she wouldn't give her younger self any guidance. "I've made a lot of mistakes, and I don't want to give her advice. I want to hear what she has to say to me!"

Downplaying her decades of success in the broadcasting industry, Fearne admitted she questions her career choices "at least once a week."

"Sometimes I'm hit with the feeling that I just don't want everyone knowing my business," she says. "The constant feedback I've had throughout my career has been detrimental, but at the same time, I am massively lucky to still be working."

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Thriving in midlife

Fearne says the last 12 months have helped her refocus, seeing the former Radio 1 host concentrate on having a good time.

"I realised I didn't want to look back and think, 'I forgot to have fun,' so I made that a priority. I'd been feeling flat, so I reinjected fun back in and while it's created a few more hangovers, it's been overwhelmingly positive.

"I'm in the thick of my forties and it's nearly impossible to have fun with all of the responsibilities, but I'm working hard to return to the younger me, who was just being herself, unjudged by others.

"I used to suppress everything, but my forties have been game-changing with regards to letting myself feel all of the feelings. I always assumed happiness was in my future when I got a job or had the perfect house, but I now know it's rooted in how much I like myself. I have my own back, and that's been fundamental to finding happiness.

"I'm learning not to beat myself up. We're always pushing ourselves too hard and we end up strung out and overwhelmed, but being nicer to myself is the key to my happiness.

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Fearne's health struggles

"We all go through bumpy bits," Fearne says of her recent health issues, which saw her hospitalised with a benign brain tumour that "stopped her in her tracks."

Post-op, the presenter has a newfound respect for her body and its ability to heal, sharing: "I'm feeling really well and vibrant after having time to reflect on life.

"There's a dangerous female trait of putting everyone else first, but I'm learning to make more time for myself again," with the podcast host sharing she's making more time to paint, a hobby she let slide when she became a mother, feeling it was 'self-indulgent.'

"I painted relentlessly in my 20s, and in the last six months I've given myself permission to do so again, it's a huge part of my wellness routine and means so much to me.

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"I'm yet to find balance in my life. Every day is a trickly juggle, but I'm working on it, and that's all we can do."

Fearne Cotton and Happy Place have partnered with supplement brand Ancient & Brave.