Loose Women and BBC Radio Scotland presenter Kaye Adams has admitted she lied about her age for decades because being open about it felt “unthinkable”.
The 62-year-old often told people, including her children, that she was a decade younger than she actually was. She said that the pressure was down to starting out in TV aged 22 and feeling defined by her youth.
“Most of my life being open about my age had been unthinkable,” she wrote in the Daily Mail. Her husband Ian knew the truth and “shrugged off” the deception.
“I, too, believed my behaviour was harmless, something many women did in a society that tries to write us off once we reach a ‘certain age’.”
Adams said the ruse began in her thirties, when she “dodged, deflected or outright lied when the subject came up”.
“Even to my own children, Charly, now 23, and Bonnie, 18,” she continued. “In fact, for years they believed I was a whole decade younger than I actually was.”
Explaining how she kept up the story with her children, she said: “I'd never given Charly a specific date of birth, but I had claimed her dad – my partner Ian – was 10 years my senior, when actually we were both born in 1962.”
However, one day, her daughter Charly got into a fight with another pupil about her mother’s age, which the friend had googled.
“Charly was so upset she convinced herself the internet must be wrong,” she continued. “I hated knowing my silly fib had left her defending me against the truth.”
The incident marked a turning point, with Adams realising that she “owed it to her and to myself to start being honest.” She took her daughter for a hot chocolate in a cafe where she revealed her true age.
Her daughter did not find it amusing like she’d hope and, “instead she stared down at her drink and said nothing. I could see she was upset so I changed the subject, but inside I was rattled.”
The former Strictly star said: “I’d always thought of myself as strong and forthright, yet I’d fallen prey to society’s negative messages around older women.”
Adams, who started out in TV aged 22, reflected on the factors that led to the lie, admitting: “I enjoyed being the youngest among my peers; being ‘ahead of the game’ felt like my trump card.”
She said this changed as she aged: “But by the time I was in my thirties and surrounded by a new bevvy of bright young things, I’d already begun to feel a bit past it. Society reinforces that message constantly, particularly for women in the public eye. There’s this sense the moment you hit a certain age, you risk being replaced by someone younger – no matter your talent.”
She has since embraced her age and looks after herself through a healthy diet and exercise and has not had any fillers since turning 60 two years ago.
The common spice found to lower cholesterol and support heart health
Major changes to Disneyland resort hotels as early access perk dropped
‘Burger King mom’, who went viral for running busy restaurant solo, has been fired
Zoë Kravitz praises Taylor Swift’s ‘insane’ kitchen skills
Noah Cyrus addresses ‘emotionally draining’ family feud rumours
Serena Williams shares 31-pound weight loss with help of medication
