‘What’s wrong with you, and why not?’ Deborah Meaden opens up about being child-free and her reluctance to get married
The Dragon's Den star shares insight into why she didn't want to be a mother
She's a fearless and savvy businesswoman, and known to millions as a firm but fair voice as an investor on Dragon's Den.
Now, Deborah Meaden has given rare insight into her life away from TV, revealing why she's happily child-free, and the reason for once being reluctant to get married.
The businesswoman and presenter appeared on an episode of the Second Act podcast, to speak to host Ateh Jewel about her achievements, ageing and some of life's biggest decisions.
'I never felt maternal, it's as simple as that," Deborah shares of her choice not to be a parent. She adds, "When I looked into my future, children weren't there."
Deborah continues, "I've never felt the need to do what's expected of me, that's always been a big thing in my life. You can hand me that baby as much as you like, it's not going to change my views."
Deborah also feels she isn't "good with babies," and says she has always listened to her body. Using food as an analogy, she shares, "I eat when my body tells me to eat - if my body had said, 'I want you to have babies,' I would've had babies."
She concludes, "But I didn't feel it." Not that she has to defend her decision to anyone, the businesswoman also shares that she has received backlash for her very personal choice in the past.
She once gave an interview and mentioned that children weren't on the cards for her and her husband. "I got quite a lot of unpleasant feedback," she reveals, adding that she'd been asked, "What's wrong with you, and why not?" when it came to not wanting to become pregnant.
When it comes to marriage, this is something else Deborah felt really strongly that she didn't want to do. She did however eventually compromise and has been married to her husband Paul for 33 years.
They met when Paul was working for her father at Butlins, and at the end of the season, Deborah recalls, "I jumped on him and asked him for a cup of coffee."
As well as seeing her mother marry three times which put her off marriage herself, the businesswoman says she was "fiercely independent" and "worried marriage would change me" through too much compromise.
She says that her relationship with Paul works because they're "really good friends," and share the same sense of humour, love for travel, and don't feel the need to "hold hands all the time."
The couple briefly split up over Deborah's reluctance to get married, as she reveals they kept engaging in "circular discussions" over it, with neither of them changing their stance.
Realising she loved Paul after their split, Deborah did agree to marry him, but was firm in letting him know, "If marriage is the thing that keeps us together for the rest of our lives, then I'll get married."
However, she did keep her own surname, and was sure to firmly tell her husband on the morning of their wedding, "I'm only doing this for you."
However, she does sweetly share, "It was actually the best thing I ever did."
