EXCLUSIVE Jo Whiley talks getting life back on track after a ‘hard’ time and the inspiration she got from Dame Judi Dench

Jo Whiley is known for her upbeat and positive attitude, be it on her Radio 2 show or chatting with pal Zoe Ball on their Dig It podcast.

But, speaking in the September issue of woman&home, Jo - who recently turned 61 - has admitted she has had some low points of late, having to deal with parental illness, meaning she had to put her usual routine and life to the side.

She said, “Things have been hard on a personal level lately, but they are better now than they were. My mum had a back operation over Christmas, and for a long time, all I was doing was going to the hospital and sitting with Mum and Dad.

“That became my whole world. Dad has Parkinson’s, and it was just about getting through each day and being there for them. Talking about the practical level of having a sibling with learning disabilities is really important too.

“My parents listened to my podcast when I talked about what a nightmare Christmas was, so I got a warning from them about sharing too much, and I have to respect that. I also got told off by my mum for swearing, and that was a learning curve!

“When life got busy, exercise and seeing my friends were the first things to go.”

And, after a period of not hitting her regular fitness goals, Jo - who has four children with husband Steve Morton, who she married in 1991 - undertook a half marathon, and it spurred her on to get back into self-care.

“Self-care is so important. Friends say that exercise keeps them sane, and I agree,” she said, adding, “For me, it isn’t about how you look, it’s about feeling like yourself again, those endorphins flowing, and having a little bit of time that’s just for you.

“I did a half-marathon recently, which was stupid when I hadn’t trained, but it made me realise how much I hate not exercising and what an unhappy person it makes me. Now I’m back doing weights and swimming, and it helps my head so much.”

However, it isn’t all hitting the gym, Jo still has plenty of time for fun - even though her ability to stay up as late has diminished over the years.

“I prefer hosting parties at home over going to them. We have a ‘club’ called Miniscule of Sound in a shed in the garden, which has a disco ball, dry ice and a DJ booth,” she said. “The last party was still banging at 5.20am. I’d had a pillow over my head since 3.30am, and eventually I had to go down there in my pants and a sweatshirt, shut off the dry ice and ask them to stop. They were very good about it and went to another party!”

As well as her radio and podcast with Zoe, Jo also hosts one called Roots for the Royal Horticultural Society, which has meant she has got to meet and interview with likes of Monty Don and Dame Mary Berry. However, the person that really got to her - and forced her to change her mind on something - was Dame Judi Dench.

“Those are genuinely pinch-yourself moments because they’re people I’ve admired for years. The second Judi starts speaking, you listen.

“We sat in her garden drinking champagne and chatting, and I came away thinking that I should always have champagne on the go. I want to be as rock ‘n’ roll as Judi.

“Judi inspired me to stop decluttering. I’d been going through a phase of clearing things out at home.

"When I walked into Judi’s house, every room was filled with memories – family photos, drawings, little keepsakes – the whole place felt full of love. I came away thinking home isn’t about having everything neat and perfect, so I put all of my family photographs back up.”