‘My boyfriend is a
true gentleman’
EXCLUSIVE
PHOTOS: OK!/Lorna Roach, PA Photos
Ferne McCann finally confirms her mystery man’s
identity as she opens up about her relationship
and the highs and lows of motherhood
H
ere at new we love chatting to
Ferne McCann, because she’s
never afraid to speak her mind. This
week, we caught up with her to talk
about her fly-on-the-wall TV show First Time
Mum as she’s welcoming the cameras into
her home once again for a fifth series.
When we call her for our chat, Ferne is at
home with two-year-old daughter Sunday
and mum Gilly. “My mum has moved in, it’s
lovely with the three of us,” she tells us.
“We were well prepared. I’ve always got a
well-stocked fridge, freezer, cupboards, so
we didn’t do any mad panic buying. But all
of a sudden my life has completely changed.
I was a busy working mum and now I’m a
stay-at-home mum. I’ve had to adjust.”
The former TOWIE star has openly
documented her life as a single mum since
giving birth to Sunday, whose father Arthur
Collins was jailed for 20 years for a horrific
nightclub acid attack in 2017. But Ferne
is no longer a singleton, as she finally
confirms she’s in a relationship with City
trader Albie Gibbs, who she first met in
Dubai in December 2018.
She had been keeping their romance
on the downlow to keep 25-year-old Albie
out of the spotlight, but she tells us that
she’s now ready to talk about him as she
gushes that he’s “respectful, trusting
and loyal”. Aw!
Here, the 29-year-old tells new about
her dream of having more children,
dealing with the terrible twos and juggling
work with motherhood...Hi Ferne! What can we expect from the
show this time around?
I’m so looking forward to this series. I feel
like if there’s ever a time when we all need
to be entertained with some light-hearted
First Time Mum reality TV, it’s now. When
I first started filming this series, I was in theprocess of moving from my flat to my house,
which was a huge adjustment. And Sunday
is her own little character now – we are
in the thick of the terrible twos! I kind of
touched on it during the last series but, oh
my, her personality has grown leaps and
bounds. She’s very comical.
How are you dealing with the
terrible twos?
It’s tough. With every age,
new challenges arise. It’s
funny because I always
say Sunday taught me
the art of patience,
which is something
I never had. I love
filming the show,
but it is very exposing
because you’re opening
yourself up and showing
how you are as a parent
and what discipline you put in
place. She’s challenging me and
pushing my buttons and I’m still learning.Is there anything you wouldn’t feel
comfortable putting on camera?
I do like to keep some things private, for
sure. I always say they’re not going to film
me when I’m in the shower but, saying that,
my film crew is all female, so we literally live
together. We’re together all the time, so the
show is super fly-on-the-wall – warts and
all! Of course, you go through tough times
in your life and you’re like, “I don’t want to
necessarily show this.” But at the same
time, I’ve always been open and honest
with what’s going on in my life. Sometimes
Sunday will misbehave and I’m like, “I don’t
want this on camera!” But everyone goes
through it with their children. You just have
to breathe and think, “It’s relatable.” But
yeah, it has its peaks and troughs.
What’s Sunday like with the cameras
around the house?
She is used to it, for sure. I’ve had the same
crew for a very long time, so they’re almost
like an extended part of the family. It’s
actually nice having some extra helping
hands around the house. It’s so strange how
much children adapt to their surroundings.
Sunday is the star of the show!
Your pal Billie Shepherd recently
revealed her worries about
her daughter Nelly
being in the public
eye. Do you ever
have those concerns
with Sunday?
I do, actually. Of course
those thoughts cross
my mind and, as a
parent, you’re always
doubting yourself. But
I think right now, at the
age she is, it’s such a lovely,
positive show on our lives and
there is a level of control there. I get
asked all the time what I’d do if SundayShe’s dating City
trader Albie GibbsSunday has taught
Ferne patience