As her new food travel show hits ITV this week, comedian Judi Love opens up about love, her mental health, juggling work and teens and her next goal

Judi Love’s lifelong mantra is that laughter is healing – so it’s perhaps no surprise that the comedian now plans to do a PhD on the subject.

The 44-year-old Loose Women presenter, who already has two university degrees under her belt, says her future goals are not limited to the world of entertainment. Although she would like to be the next Cilla Black. “I’d love to reboot Blind Date,” she laughs, with that unmistakable cackle. “Let’s manifest it, I’m going to put that on my vision board.”

With her brand new ITV foodie travel show on screens this week, Judi Love’s Culinary Cruise, a stand-up tour in the works, not to mention regular appearances on Loose Women and comedy panel shows, Judi is at the top of her game. But it hasn’t always been easy, coming from a working class background in London, raising two children as a single mum and facing discrimination as a black woman. She says: “There were many days I remember, being in my council property and fretting, being nervous, thinking, ‘How am I going to get through this week? What am I going to do?’ There’s something creative in me and I just want people to feel some kind of joy. That was my thing.

Sweet like honey: Judi Love gets to grips with bee keeping on her new TV show ( 
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“I’ve done degrees, I’ve raised kids by myself, so even if it’s not entertainment, if people have that moment, thinking ‘How do I balance teenagers?’ or ‘How do I go back to uni?’ or ‘How do I be plus size but still try to keep myself fit?’ I don’t see myself as a role model, but if someone can see themselves in me, then that makes me feel purposeful.”

Judi Love tries some surprising new foods on Judi Love’s Culinary Cruise ( 
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She adds: “People shouldn’t limit themselves to what people expect you to do. I want to get back on the road and do my comedy tour. I’d love to do more writing, producing and directing. I want to go back to university and do a PhD. I’d like to study how laughter affects your mental health. Otherwise I’d study something connected to women’s health.”

Judi admits that as a woman, especially as a black woman, there have definitely been difficulties. She says: “As a woman, it’s what we have to carry. And it’s challenging, because women, we get paid less. You can be on a comedy show and there are five acts, and back in the day, there would only be one female – and it might not be a female of colour. So then I’ve got those two things against me. TV was always very middle class. People went to uni or you knew someone who knew somebody. I never knew anybody that worked in TV when I was young. I knew people who had been on TV, but the ones who made the decisions? Never. But I think things have changed, from agents opening up their pool of talent, to people in certain positions. I created my own audience, which enabled me to get seen a lot more. They’re from all backgrounds and cultures, so it’s hard to deny it then really.”

Judi also believes that coming to show business a bit later in life, at the age of 36, has helped her to deal with the industry and her career in the public eye. She says: “My advice to anyone coming into the industry is to work on your craft, find your unique selling point, what makes you different, and don’t come into it too young. I got into it at a later stage and I’m really grateful for that. I’m glad that I knew myself, who I was as a person. I had children, I had bills. I’d worked in the normal world and that really grounded me a lot more. It’s a very demanding industry and so many people suffer with anxiety. You’re exposed. You’re meeting so many different people and your circle changes, you’re not seeing your friends and family as much. You need a really good support network.”

Judi tries out traditional costume on her travels on Judi Love’s Culinary Cruise ( 
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When it comes to her mental health, Judi is careful to take time out when she needs it. I always take a break from social media if I need it,” she says. “I try to put in boundaries if I’m feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes I think I need to take time off from it if it’s been busy. I ignore trolls as much as I can, but no one can say that trolling doesn’t get you. Of course it does, I try to ignore it. I don’t really respond, but it’s never nice when you get abusive messages.”

She adds: “The hardest thing about entertainment is not having the structure. It’s never the same day twice. If you’re used to routine, this is where mental health issues can slip in, especially if you’re away from family. I try to take breaks and I’m very much about ‘What am I doing this for?’ I need to do things that make me fulfilled, not just because they are there for me to do.”

Looking after her health is important but Judi laughs that it gets tougher when you hit 40. She says: “I go to the gym, I exercise. I try to eat good food, I don’t limit myself. I’m definitely cutting down the alcohol. In the entertainment business, you find you’ve gone to a networking or an event and you suddenly realise you’ve had a drink four or five times in the week. Then you might have a drink at home because you think ‘I’m gonna wind down, I’m off today’. I’m being more mindful and I think that’s really important, especially being over 40, your body changes with what you can tolerate. I definitely can’t tolerate bread that much anymore. I don’t have to drink to have a good time.”

Judi says she brought joy and laughter to her travels on her new ITV show ( 
Image:
ITV)Life is certainly hectic and non-stop, with life, kids and career a constant juggle. While she’s talking, she’s on the way to take her 15-year-old son to an orthodontist appointment, while her 19-year-old daughter is at home, having been poorly with a tummy bug the day before. She says: “I’ve got filming to get to later as well. It’s a juggle, but it’s one that I’m really grateful and blessed to have.” It’s little wonder there might not be much time for dating. She says: “I’m not dating at the moment, I would say I am dating myself. Although I’m always open to it, I meet beautiful people all the time, so let’s see.”

Having won the 2021 Celebrity MasterChef Christmas special, Judi’s flair for food has been harnessed for her latest project, which sees her travel around Montenegro, Greece and the Greek islands on a culinary tour on a luxury yacht. Judi says: I’m got to commend other people who do travelogues, because it’s hard work, but it’s so rewarding. Never in my life did I imagine I could travel, explore, meet people, embrace someone’s culture, eat the most fabulous food and then get to cook and learn people’s traditions. I loved spreading my joy and laughter around food and travel. There were so many funny moments, like once I was engrossed in a conversation with the Captain of our yacht and then I said ‘Who’s driving the boat?’ In Montenegro, this lady became obsessed with me. She kept calling me, ‘Juicy woman, juicy, juicy beautiful woman’. It was a lot of fun.”

Judi has always embraced her Jamaican heritage and was blown away by the similarities in cooking and traditions on her travels. She says: “Seeing how much we have in common around the world is really beautiful. Even being British, food is at the centre, whether it’s a Sunday roast or that auntie who makes the best potatoes. Traditions were so deeply embedded in Greece and you could see generations being taught and recipes being passed on. It really makes you think about the legacy and how important it is to pass those things on. In my family, my mum was known as the cook. Everyone wanted her rice and peas or curried goat, or cakes. My daughter cooks now and she’s incredible, those skills have been brought down the generations and that’s really what legacy is about.” Judi adds: “Looking back at my career, I do have pinch-me moments. What a crazy, beautiful privilege to be in this kind of world.”