2019-07-01_HelloMagazine_UK

studioandthenewshowhasbeena hitwithlisteners,

whonowincludeherrecordproducerhusbandChris

HughesandtheirdaughtersLexi,13,andHollie,seven.

“Chrishasriggedupouralarmclocksystemsothat

theyallwakeuptothesoundofmyvoiceonair,”shesays.

“It’sa down-to-earthshowandI talkabouteverything

fromburninga saucepanwhenI triedtomakepastato

mycatjumpingonmylapwhenI wasintheloo.

“I evendida shout-outtoChristoremindhimtopack

Hollie’scoatfora schooltripasit wasgoingtorain.SoI

canevenmicromanagemyhouseholdontheairwaves.

“Lexi’sveryimpressedbymynewrole,”sheadds.

“WhenI toldher[singer]FreyaRidingswascomingon,

shesaid:‘Pleasecanyougeta selfiewithher,Mummy?’

NowshekeepsaskingwhenherfavouritesingerJess

Glynnewillbeinthestudio,too.”

Aftera fortnightatHeart,Amandasaysshealready

feelslikeoneofthefamily.“I adoretheteam– they’reso

funny,”shesaysofhercolleagues,whoincludeKelly

BrookandJasonKingaswellasco-hostJamie.

“JamieandI getonlikea houseonfire.Wefirstmetin

sitcomMadAboutAlice 15 yearsagoandhe’sjustlikea

lovelylabrador,althoughI keepinterruptinghim.He’s

soaffable,easy-goingandmakesmelaugh.”

AfterearlysuccessinsitcomsTheGrimleysandKissMe

Kate, Amandareturnstohercomedyrootsthisautumn

inhitITV2RomansitcomPlebs,playinga lustyaristocrat.

“Itwasbrillianttofilm,”saysAmanda.“Istartedoutin

comedyandnowthecomedydooris openformeagain.”

There’shumourgaloreinAmanda’shousehold,too.

“Lexiis superfunny,sardonicandsarcastic,justlikeher

dad,”shesays.“She’sonly13,butshe’stallerthanme

alreadyandlookslikea grownwoman.She’sa sensible

littlethingandcautiouslikeChris,too.She’sstructured

andorganised,andlovesscienceandmaths,whichI was

absolutelyrubbishat.

“Hollie’smorelikeme;she’schatty,outgoing,adores

theartsandbeingcentrestage.I lovethembothdearly.”

LOVEANDLAUGHTER

AmandaandChriscelebratedtheirtenthwedding

anniversarywitha lavishbashatSohoFarmhouseinthe

CotswoldslastDecember.Shesayslaughteris thesecret

totheirhappymarriage.

“Chrisis veryfunnyanderrsonthesideoflightness,”

she says.“Wecanmakejokes outofanysituation

throughoutthebestanddarkesttimesofourlives.He’s

rubbishatromance,buthe’sthereforthesolidthings–

suchaskeepingmycarcleanandmakingsureI relax.

He’sa properblokewholooksafterme.I’ma strong,

opinionatedwoman,buthehelpssteertheMandyship.”

Thecouplewereleftheartbrokenin 2011 whentheir

sonTheowasstillbornat sevenmonths.Lastyeartheyset

upthecharityTheo’sHopetoraisefundsforcounsellors

tohelpparentsgoingthroughthesameordeal.

“We’rehopingit getsrolledoutacrossthecountry,”

saysAmanda.“AlthoughChrisandI haveanabilitynotto

bedefinedbythetragedy,it’sstillinthebackofmymind.

Theowillalwaysbepartofourfamily,butI don’tfeelsad

now,onlyblessed,becauseI wasabletohaveanother

child.I’mjustgratefulforeverythingwehave.”

Amandais theonlyjudgetohavebeenonall 13 series

ofBGT, withthecurrentline-upcomprisingDavid

Walliams, AleshaDixonandSimon.Afterthe

V

Amanda is all smiles as

she leaves Heart laden

with balloons and roses

after her debut show

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