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My Life at Christmas with Anita Rani Season 2 Episode 1
#Christmas
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#Christmas
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FunTranscript
00:00the nights are drawing in everything's getting a bit twinkly it's about joy it's about parties
00:06but also this is a moment to think about the journeys we've come on and the people we've
00:11made them with so i wish you a merry christmas i wish you a merry christmas come on how are you
00:18over the next three weeks of advent i'll be meeting some well-known faces
00:22as they share what makes the season so special to them it's my favorite time of the year
00:30the most important thing about christmas is being with my family the moments which have brought
00:34them to where they are today oh dear there's a wonderful honesty between the two of us as a
00:40little girl here with my little grip and platform 19 was where i first stepped out in london the faith
00:49that sustained them on the way i'm definitely calling upon someone that's higher than me
00:56to give me that courage and i think you can pray at home you can pray in the garden you can pray
01:01at a football pitch i'm sure rod's prayed a few times and how christmas's past and present
01:09out comes my little snowman mark key moments in their lives they used to do the okie-kokey
01:15out into the street all the way up the street and it was snowing i remember seeing the snow for the
01:20first time ah i mean that's what you call matching i don't know where i would be now if i'd had to
01:29spend those christmases on work
01:31i'm in essex and i could not be more excited about the couple i'm on my way to meet
01:47she's modeled for iconic brands put the world to rights on loose women will you put a heel one
01:53you rise above me and now protects the streets of london as a special constable and he is quite
02:00simply rock royalty
02:02i'm a firm believer in marriage i really do i think it can work sir rod stewart and penny
02:13lancaster have been a couple for more than 25 years and we have been invited to their home to talk
02:18about the role family faith and the festive season have played in both their lives
02:24hello penny
02:34hello penny
02:34how are you darling
02:35i'm great
02:36how are you
02:36oh lovely to see you
02:38come in
02:39who's this
02:39this is lily
02:40come on lily
02:41she's dressed for christmas
02:43she's ready
02:43come on let's go
02:45shall we go
02:45oh lily
02:54you little beauty
02:55christmas doggie
02:56how are you both
02:59great
03:00good
03:00looking forward to christmas
03:02very much so because
03:04magically we have ruby
03:07and her husband jake
03:09my stepdaughter
03:10and our grandchild otis too
03:13and we also have god's other son my stepson liam and his wife nicole and their two babies
03:20louie who is two as well
03:23named after
03:24god's mummy
03:26my mum yeah elsie and aiden and alistair
03:28so it's a gathering of the clan
03:30is it a big deal to get the family together
03:33oh you betcha
03:34they live all up well most of them live in america
03:36but it's getting their timings right
03:38and penny takes over that job very well
03:40she books all the flights and everything
03:43you're a really good organiser
03:44she's organised my life
03:46terrifically
03:47she's organised us today
03:48she's amazing
03:49this is a house designed for christmas
03:52it is isn't it
03:53it really is
03:54it's beautiful
03:54it's perfect for big family gatherings
03:57we have a massive christmas party every year
03:59where we invite all of our friends and family
04:01so everyone just spills out everywhere
04:04and of course the staircase
04:05we're all decorated
04:07and so it is magical
04:09we'll invite you
04:10and we have a bagpiper
04:11to welcome everyone
04:12i can come and blow
04:13we have like an eight piece band
04:16oh my god
04:17and then my band all get up and plays
04:18and usually Ronnie Wood comes up and plays with me
04:20we do a faces song
04:22oi
04:22i'm there
04:23this sounds like my crown of christmas
04:24it strikes me that it's about the celebration
04:27but it's about the people for the two of you
04:29absolutely
04:30i think we spent so much time
04:32living in america
04:33rod particularly
04:34but when i first met him
04:35we lived together there for 10 years
04:37so we missed
04:38we craved
04:39being home with family
04:40missing everybody
04:41is there a spirituality around christmas
04:44we believe there is
04:46some kind of higher power
04:48higher force
04:49an energy
04:50a spirit or something
04:53i kind of have a spiritual feeling about a lot of things
04:56i believe in calm
04:58and i believe in um being good
05:01because you know to be good
05:03you know then surely that will only come back your way
05:06so there's there's some kind of spiritual connection there
05:10something um that is hard to describe really
05:14we're not really church goers
05:17we don't go to church every sunday
05:19funerals weddings christmas and that's it
05:21when i was younger we used to go to church
05:23the first sunday of every month i was in the brownies
05:26oh right yeah
05:27so we would attend church once a month
05:29what i've always believed is be good and do good
05:32yeah
05:32which is i think what both of us try and do
05:35yes
05:35do to others as you would have done to you
05:38that's one of my songs isn't it
05:39it is
05:40so this is kind of the sort of stuff that you put for christmas time
05:45oh yes
05:46oh yeah
05:49remember that
05:49still got the moves
05:51when was this
05:52oh three years ago
05:53yeah it was probably about three years ago
05:54there was
05:55you know they get those things on instagram and tiktok
05:58and they're like
05:59everyone wants to follow the moves
06:00and you have to do it
06:02you have to do it
06:03whose idea was that
06:04probably mine
06:08and you don't you've done you do a lot of charity work particularly with the king's fund
06:12and the king asked to dance with you penny is that right
06:15yes so it was king charles's 60th birthday
06:19and he had requested that rod perform at his birthday party
06:24and he said would you promise me a dance
06:28so when rod was singing um do you think i'm sexy
06:31i tapped him on the shoulder and i said what this one do
06:34so we were both dancing to do you think i'm sexy
06:38which was quite amusing
06:39it was only a little tiny dance floor
06:41and the stage was only this high
06:43so i could see everything going on
06:44it was
06:45i was very proud
06:46yeah
06:46you see what happens
06:48when you dance
06:49well they'll be dancing at christmas here
06:51oh you better believe it mate
06:53wee
06:54yeah
06:54it'd be wonderful
06:56four months before the end of the second world war on the 10th of january 1945
07:13rodrick david stewart was born in highgate north london
07:17he was the youngest of five children to dad robert and mum elsie
07:2214 miles away on the 15th of march 1971 in redbridge essex
07:30penelope claire lancaster entered the world
07:33they would eventually meet and fall in love
07:36but their early lives followed very different paths
07:39so i wonder what childhood christmases were like
07:42in the stewart household to start with
07:44see i was i was born at the top of a house and the germans are still dropping bombs
07:49yeah
07:50blew up uh highgate police station
07:53and you were a surprise weren't you
07:55yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
07:56how much how many years younger from
07:58from uh bob
08:01about eight i think eight or nine years
08:04five five children
08:05so yeah the gift yes
08:07the gift as my brother used to say the expensive gift
08:09so if i can take you back to highgate
08:13rod to when you were a kid
08:15what were christmases like with
08:16oh
08:17come on what was it what can you remember
08:19um going way back we lived in a
08:22not an expensive house but my dad rented it
08:25because we were two brothers
08:26two sisters
08:27and a huge clannish family
08:30they'd all come down from scotland for christmas
08:32my dad had to go down in the cellar and put up scaffolding
08:36scaffolding boards because he was so frightened all the dancing
08:39brilliant that the house would collapse
08:41and the piano with it
08:42and the piano was we had we had a little grand piano
08:44and i was always told to go up to bed
08:47about half past nine
08:48and then i'd hear all the singing
08:50all the old jolson songs
08:52and i'd come to the edge of the stairs and look over the banister
08:56and there was men walking around in kilts
08:58and then my brother i remember once
09:01um they used to do the okey-cokey
09:03oh the okey
09:04you know you hold something around the waist
09:06and they came out of the living room
09:08uh down the front stairs
09:10out into the street
09:11all the way up the street
09:12and it was snowing
09:13so that's why i remember it so well
09:16perfect christmas
09:17how were your christmases in uh redbridge
09:19oh they were great
09:20how were they
09:20go on
09:21what do you remember from your childhood penny
09:24um
09:25i specifically remember the tree of course
09:29and all the presents around it
09:31and but then i remember the night before christmas
09:34my brother and i used to stand at our back patio glass doors
09:38and look up at the sky
09:39and we were always told that father christmas
09:42when when you see him he must rush to bed
09:44because if he knows the children aren't asleep he won't come
09:47so then we'd be looking out behind the clouds
09:50and then my dad would be like
09:51there he is
09:52look there's the sleigh
09:53and we were convinced
09:54there was the sleigh
09:55there was the reindeer
09:56there was the presents
09:57somehow in our imagination
09:59we we saw it
10:01in that magic of christmas
10:02and we'd run upstairs to bed
10:03and we'd done the same thing with our boys
10:05nothing's changed really
10:06we i've dressed up for all my kids
10:08so you know all different ages of course
10:11dressed up as
10:11as as
10:12stop ruining my interview
10:17as father christmas of course
10:20that's gorgeous
10:21you never know with you darling
10:22with the beards
10:23the whole lot
10:24yeah the white beard
10:24the whole lot
10:25and the pillow underneath
10:27yeah and i've fallen over a couple of times
10:29i've been down the pub before
10:30you know like you do
10:32back in the swinging 60s north london
10:38rod had left school at 15
10:40with no particular career path in mind
10:42he was a talented footballer
10:44but after a trial for the then third division club
10:47brentford in the summer of 1960 led to nothing
10:50and a string of short-lived jobs
10:52he turned his attention to music
10:54first busking
10:56then playing harmonica
10:57and singing backing vocals
10:59in various bands
11:00still living at home with his parents
11:03it was 1964
11:05before 19 year old rod
11:07finally got his break
11:08after a chance encounter
11:10with one of his musical heroes
11:12while waiting for a train
11:13you were spotted playing harmonica
11:18in twickenham
11:19well that was around christmas time
11:21it was early december
11:22i'd gone over to watch the late
11:24long john baldwin and his hoochie coochie band
11:26yep
11:27i went back to the railway station
11:29twickenham to go up to waterloo
11:31i think it was
11:31and i just got my harmonica outside playing
11:34and he came across and said
11:36young man
11:37would you like me
11:38would you join my band
11:40as a harmonica player
11:41and backup singer
11:41because he was obviously very posh
11:43and i took the opportunity
11:45and said of course i would love to
11:46and a few days later
11:48he'd come round to see my mum and dad
11:49and ask permission
11:51and it was
11:52because my mum and dad had a little sweet shop
11:54you know
11:55very humble
11:55and he was six foot six
11:57and he came through the door
11:59with a bunch of flowers for my mum
12:01and he said
12:02mrs stewart
12:03i'd like to ask you
12:04if your son
12:05would like to join my band
12:06and she said
12:07well that's nice
12:08as long as he's home by
12:09up after 10 every night
12:11and she said
12:11that was my start
12:13and he put me on the pricely sum
12:1535 pounds a week
12:17in the early 60s
12:18that was a load of money
12:19i was going to say
12:19that was probably loads of money
12:20do you remember what you spent it on
12:22first of all
12:23i saved up for a car
12:24every penny i saved up
12:26to buy a motor car
12:27what was the first car
12:28it was a mini traveller
12:30rod's early days
12:38with long john bouldry
12:39in his rhythm and blues band
12:41the hoochie coochie men
12:42was captured in a documentary
12:44made in 1965
12:46following rod
12:47as his career started to take shape
12:49after some further success
12:52with the jeff beck group
12:53in 1969
12:55rod joined
12:56the notoriously raw
12:57and energetic
12:58the faces
12:59alongside legendary guitarist
13:01ronnie wood
13:02whilst also working
13:03on his own solo material
13:05and then 1971
13:16i was born
13:19you were born
13:19and you
13:21had maggie may
13:21you had maggie may
13:22i mean what a year for you
13:24two amazing things happened in the same year
13:26lovely lovely really lovely
13:27i think there's some sort of magic in that
13:29something quite poetic
13:30same month as well
13:31march so yeah i do kind of hold some significance to certain special dates
13:36let's watch this let's take you down in really
13:38there we go
13:40wake up maggie
13:48i think i've got something to say to you
13:52i'm the only one performing you know
13:56everyone else is mine
13:57and that lovely red velvet suit
13:59he'd like to have that now
14:01still got it
14:01it was on rod's 80th birthday
14:08we all dressed up as a rod stewart through the time
14:12that one's playing
14:19where's ronnie's off the stage
14:22he went for a quick pint
14:23oh no football
14:25he's kicked the football on
14:26there's football
14:27hooray
14:28go on then hooray
14:30it's so great
14:33what's it like watching it
14:34it's absolutely wonderful
14:36yeah
14:36memory lane
14:37so your life changed after that
14:39i mean dramatically
14:41oh yeah it did
14:42yeah
14:42yeah
14:42yeah
14:43it really did
14:44the day maggie may got to number one
14:46i was in swiss cottage
14:48drive all the way back to mussel hill
14:50and they'd already heard
14:52they were sort of
14:52they came
14:53they were in tears
14:54you know
14:54i mean i gave them a big card
14:56got to go now mum and dad
14:58it was lovely
14:59that was the number one single
15:01both sides of the Atlantic
15:03every picture tells a story
15:04it was the number one album
15:05all over europe
15:06so
15:06and it all went
15:07so your life completely changed
15:10but what did christmases become like
15:12because i was reading about
15:13one particular christmas in beverly hills
15:15where you went to cubby broccoli's house
15:17we were talking about snow earlier
15:19now beverly hills being beverly hills
15:21they import the snow
15:22i mean it's not cold
15:23but his house looked
15:25i don't know how they did it
15:26it went through the gates
15:28and everything
15:29the trees
15:30the highest trees
15:31were covered in snow
15:31because it was
15:33you know
15:33it's hollywood isn't it
15:34yeah
15:34tremendous
15:35yeah like a film set almost
15:37and she was just a little dicky bum
15:39and over here in redbridge in essex
15:42another little magic thing was happening
15:44while a young penny was opening barbies and roller skates under the tree
15:51global superstar rod stewart was now rubbing shoulders with huge celebrities
15:56and was convinced he'd finally found the perfect christmas gift
16:00for his great friend and fellow global superstar elton john
16:04we used to live just around the corner from each other
16:07so we saw a lot of each other
16:08you know a lot of history there
16:10um
16:11so i went out down to selfridges harrods
16:13and i bought him this
16:15a fridge that he had by the side
16:17it doesn't look like a fridge
16:18it's got a piece of furniture
16:19so you press a button
16:20and the lid opens
16:22all steam comes out
16:24and up it comes
16:25two bottles of champagne
16:27glasses all chilled and everything
16:29pour yourself a drink
16:31and it goes back down
16:32so i was all pleased with myself
16:33and i took it over to elton's
16:35i said here you are dear
16:36and he said oh thank you
16:37it's so lovely
16:38here's your present
16:40it was a rembrandt
16:41that big
16:43a rembrandt etching
16:45which in those days was worth about 12 grand
16:48what about your parents
16:57when you got all the success
16:59and the money started coming in
17:01when was the moment they realised
17:03like our son has made it
17:05and what did you start getting them for christmas
17:07oh well three days before christmas
17:09i phoned up mum what do you want
17:10i'd really like a nice bread bin
17:13a bread bin
17:14beautiful
17:14a new bread bin
17:16you know
17:17simple pleasures
17:18well you know
17:19well it's practical isn't it
17:20practical but also
17:21it kind of gives us an insight
17:23into who brought you up
17:24yeah
17:24you know really beautiful
17:26grounded
17:26grounded people
17:27you don't want for much
17:28like yeah you could ask
17:29for anything from your son
17:30yeah
17:31and she just has a bread bin
17:32you know i think there's something
17:34very beautiful about that
17:35yeah it is
17:36all of my family are like that
17:37i just realised
17:38rod's career success continued through the 80s and 90s
17:51with worldwide tours and hits on both sides of the atlantic
17:54meanwhile a young penny lancaster was leading a very different life
18:01there's our red holly
18:02we headed outside for a spot of christmas crafting and a chat about her early years
18:08oh this is nice
18:09wreath making
18:11look at us getting creative
18:13do you do this every year
18:14i would normally do it with a group of girlfriends
18:17lovely
18:17yeah we have a local tea house and they put on one of these events but it also includes wine
18:22oh
18:22it's a bit early
18:24it's a bit early
18:25fairly yeah my kind of wreath making their penny
18:27um and we collected these from the garden
18:29yes
18:30so this is lovely
18:31and a lot of this foliage as well
18:32yeah
18:33so if i can take you back to when you were a kid
18:37it was your height that you were bullied for when you were younger
18:40it was well the thing is there was a few bumps in the road to begin with because
18:44at school i was too skinny so i've always struggled with my weight with the sort of body image i suppose
18:51but at school i went undiagnosed with dyslexia
18:55yeah
18:56so i had real struggles learning because i learned differently
19:00and i was told by a teacher that i wouldn't make anything of myself
19:04oh my gosh
19:05because if i can't like you know
19:07because of the dyslexia
19:08because of the dyslexia
19:09well obviously he didn't recognize what that i had dyslexia or even what that meant
19:13yeah
19:14and we all know now um that it's it's actually a skill set because you're always coming up against obstacles
19:21and barriers but we learn to go under them over them around them so actually we tackle problems not just head-on but from a different perspective so we're great problem solvers
19:33yeah and we learn to understand and have empathy for other people because of the challenges we face so actually it's it's a gift but there wasn't any understanding of how people can learn just as well if not better but just in a different way because it was just one way only
19:51so i was sort of dismissed so i was sort of dismissed so i always wondered well if i can't pass exams then i'm not going to get a job and if i can't get a job then how am i going to pay the bill you know it sort of spiraled into those thoughts and a careers teacher so well let's look at what else you have to offer
20:07you're tall but like you said i was bullied for being tall so i didn't think that was a good thing but it's you know in modeling of course it's good and i was very skinny
20:17so so it seemed like a natural path at least i could give that a go
20:22penny enrolled in the london college of fashion and was soon landing modeling contracts with big brands taking her all over the world on glamorous shoots but penny had ambitions on the other side of the lens
20:37when i was in front of the camera i was very observant about everything else on set and i thought i'd love to be more creative and learn photography so i did a two-year diploma course
20:49a barking college barking college and that's halfway through that course that's when i met rod
20:54rod and penny first met in 1998 but it wasn't a straightforward start to their romance
21:08who's going to tell the story yeah that the two of you met for the very first time
21:13penny you tell us it was christmas wasn't it it was a christmas party yeah i'd been invited to a
21:19christmas party by a group of girlfriends of mine had no idea really uh much about rod stewart and his
21:27music we hadn't been a family that played his music we mum was more rolling stones i would say
21:33but we soon to fall in love with the with the rod stewart music that was for sure
21:39um but there we were uh i was dancing on the dance floor and one of my girlfriends said
21:44penny you're the daredevil please go and get an autograph for me i went whose autograph
21:50she went that rock star rod stewart is over in the corner he's with this bunch of people well
21:56of course it was his band i'd had a few champagnes i think or something and so i i had the dutch courage
22:01and wandered over and saw this very charming twinkly eyed leather jacket and great hair great hair
22:13and so i had a big beaming smile and and i very apologetic and i said i'm i'm very sorry to
22:20interrupt but um a girlfriend of mine really love your autograph and would you mind it's of course come
22:27come and sit down did the autograph there you go and he said um would you like to come and see one
22:31of my shows and i said i'd love to and he said what do you do and i said well i'm studying photography
22:36right i'll get you a photo pass and i was like oh my god i was studying photography at barking college
22:43i mean my second year amazing and i've got this opportunity i didn't have a long lens on my camera
22:48i didn't have time to rent one or whatever but i was going to be there and i wasn't thinking there
22:52was like an attraction or anything beyond he just wanted to help someone out he said if you give
22:58your telephone number to carmine my bass player he's a leader of our band he'll contact you and make the
23:06arrangements band leader and close friend carmine dutifully arranged for penny to take photos at the
23:15concert he'd spotted a spark between them but with rod in the process of divorcing rachel hunter with whom
23:21he'd had two children carmine also realized that this was not the right time for rod to be meeting
23:27someone who might turn out to be the new love of his life so he did them a favor
23:32he was an absolute gentleman really lovely he's band leader and he was bass player in the band at
23:39that time so and he kept her address away from me didn't think telephone number didn't think i was
23:48uh you know in in the right position because i just got a divorce you know and i didn't know whether i was
23:53coming or going and he said uh i'll give it to you when i think you're ready because she's special
23:58i should have fired him but i couldn't he had the phone number and here we go
24:06oh come on timing is everything not only in music but in life rod i'm so glad that i held penny's phone
24:17number back from you until the time he was right even though you kept fighting me for it but thankfully
24:23it worked congratulations on over 25 years together wow and wishing you and your family
24:31a very very merry christmas oh bless him he was instrumental carmine yeah he's got you emotional
24:39he thought i was too much of a yob at the time
24:44tell me why they what's the what's the what's the feeling well the tears of happiness he was a very
24:49soulful very sweet man and he saw this energy and this kind of thing no and and and i really
24:58thought that would be the last i would see of rod i remember going back to barking college photography
25:04studio in the dark room and process those photographs i took that night
25:08and just thought what a lovely memory and and that was that
25:12for the best part of a year penny went back to her studies while rod toured america and readjusted
25:21to life as a single man
25:26well nine months later i get a message left on my answer phone
25:30hi it's rod stewart i'm back in town um let let's have let's have a date let's go for dinner and
25:36i'm thinking this is not rod this is someone winding me up yeah this is nuts so i told my friends i
25:41told my mum and they always said like well give it give it a couple of days don't return the call
25:45yet you know and then someone might you know give up the game but nobody did so i called the number
25:53and sure enough it was the rod the husky tones of rod stewart rod and penny began dating navigating
26:01the early stages of their relationship around penny's blossoming career as a photographer for glossy
26:07magazines and rod's hectic tour schedule neither of them had been churchgoers previously but now
26:13they found themselves drawn to spending time in churches without the other realizing it they were
26:19both calling on a higher power which up until now they'd never realized was present in their lives
26:25to help them understand whether their feelings for each other were real
26:37and i was thinking is this the right girl because i'd just come out of a you know a marriage and i'd
26:42been left um but we used to when we was in new york there was one church we used to just go in
26:48let's go in the church but we were both hoping and praying for the same thing which was just get
26:53married had children we were we were were we the right um couple fit for each other yeah but was
27:00this was this it and so yeah i used to kind of sit there at the front and looking up and having my own
27:07little prayers and thoughts and and rod be doing the same but we didn't realize it was just i don't
27:11know just i felt like there was an energy and it was calling every church door was calling us to walk in
27:15with their prayers answered convinced they were indeed right for each other penny and rod now had
27:23to navigate more than just their own budding romance penny had to find her place within a blended family
27:30as rod shared six children with three ex-partners all of whom he remained on good terms with what was it
27:38like stepping into this world it was it was uh but how did you how do you go how did you step into
27:48like that that cope with this in totally different world i tiptoed i tiptoed very lightly um
27:57because there were obviously lots of personalities and more importantly there were children ranging from
28:02different ages from liam who was only five when we first met to through teenagers to kimberly who was
28:08about to turn 21. so it was delicate um children from different mothers um so it was it was a scenario
28:19that i'd never faced before and i thought i just need to stay in the background but present and there if
28:27they wanted to approach me so it what i you know i didn't want to feel like a huge force that was
28:33going to take over um i wanted to sort of watch and observe and just take my time really and it it took
28:40a long time but we got there um and i got to a place where i never thought i'd get to with them
28:49i must admit the kids adore her now they looked to her for advice
28:53oh dear i got so silly silly and teary no it's beautiful because it's a it's love and emotion
29:01and it's real and it's your life it is and there's a lot that's happened
29:09after six years together in the spring of 2005 rod has an important question for penny
29:15rod surprised me for my birthday and he had a plan unknown to me to to propose and took me on a
29:23surprise visit to to i didn't know to paris and more surprisingly invited my parents and on the way
29:30to the airplane asked my father permission for that he went all wonky his legs went like this and he's a
29:36big tough gator his legs went all wonky like this he couldn't stand up that's very beautiful of you
29:41rod very traditional yeah yeah he is so there we were in paris at the eiffel tower and rod was on one
29:49knee proposing to me at the end of the year penny and rod welcomed their first child alistair it was
30:00now that they started to bring religion more formally into their lives when i was giving birth to alistair it
30:08was in saint john and liz's um birthing unit and they had a chapel so when my contractions were
30:16starting of course there's always that fear that something's going to go wrong and we went into the
30:20chapel there and when i brought him home the room was done up beautifully for christmas and i brought
30:29alistair into the room his little baby i remember on the radio the newborn king the carol was singing
30:36yeah that was my little king yeah yeah and you always wanted to be a mom it's got me going now
30:44you wanted alistair to be christened in scotland in edinburgh because your father coming from
30:49leaf he came from me and that particular priest we flew down to italy to marry us in 2007
30:56two years after baby alistair's birth rod and penny married in portofino italy a celebration which
31:07included a beautiful religious ceremony at a monastery some wedding ceremony it was oh i cried oh
31:16dear did i cry we're waiting for penny to come from dressing up and we're all sitting in the church
31:21you know and it's we're all sweating and penny's late and all of a sudden the italian choir which
31:28was like about 10 10 singers so i just approached the door yeah i know i know it's hurling but i did
31:34just at the timing i had just approached it was yes everyone was waiting and i was standing outside
31:40with my father holding my hand ready to walk down the aisle and the children's italian choir began
31:46singing the fields of athen rye which is a big celtic song but also a wonderful song can you give
31:52us a little bit please low lie the fields of athen rye where once we watched a small bluebirds fly
32:03it's a big irish wonderful national anthem did that just happen i know he belted that one out
32:09didn't he beautiful what a moment in my life thank you for that rod yeah i didn't get me rod stewart
32:14no no no no more i know and didn't you say to jim cregan who was best man yeah please tell me
32:24they're not going to do another verse because the more they kept singing in their beautiful choir voices
32:29he was well first of all they did it in italian which was really moving then they did they did
32:33it in english which was absolutely wonderful
32:44you mentioned your best man so look we've got a little note from someone special yeah he's my best
32:50mate hello dear friends i was really honored and delighted when you asked me to be best man at your
32:58wedding and i was also the master of ceremony so it fell to me to announce you coming into the reception
33:07so in my best loud british voice i said ladies and gentlemen please welcome for the first time
33:17mr and mrs roderick david esmeralda cleopatra nigel brian philomena scotland 10 nil stewart
33:39oh dear we loved him it's a great love affair you have
33:42and i look at it and i think wow these guys they managed to get it right so merry christmas
33:52i love you and i shall see you soon jimmy well done mate what a beautiful message yeah
33:58i love that name all the names it's mirelda scotland 10 england one oh dear can i have a tissue
34:06again yes we can we only go again the water works well you know when you wish upon a star
34:19makes no difference who you are
34:23a second son a second son aiden was born in 2011 completing their family and the following year
34:31more than 40 years after his first number one rod released yet another record-breaking album
34:37merry christmas baby photographer penny took the cover photo as she's done with many of his albums
34:50in 2012 uh you released a christmas album yeah and this was a huge success yeah it really was yeah
35:00it was sort of almost launched from the great american songbook wasn't it right yeah yeah all those
35:06because that was a massive massive success it's 37 million albums unbelievable just on the american
35:12songbook so this was a natural follow-up and it is a beautiful album and you'll i've given all the crew here
35:19their own copy of the album would you just show everybody please generous shall we show you look
35:25we've all got them we've all got them we've all got them and i hope you like it but yes it was
35:32a wonderful success um i'm going to play you another clip
35:39oh i was just thinking about that this is beautiful my son my little 18 month old
35:44aiden he was being put to bed the other night he heard silent night and it wasn't being sung by me
35:50but he immediately said oh that's daddy's song which is great anyway this one's for little aiden stewart
35:59silent night
36:05silent night
36:07holy night
36:11all is calm
36:15all is bright
36:19I'm very happy.
36:43It's beautiful.
36:49I sung that rather well.
37:00It's not an easy song to sing.
37:02I was just worried about getting it all in pitch right and everything.
37:06Because it goes from very low to very high.
37:09I remember you, we were obviously in Scotland, Stirling Castle.
37:12But who were you in the dressing room beforehand?
37:16There was a couple of guests.
37:17It was Gordon Strachan and then there was...
37:19Neil Lennon.
37:19Neil Lennon, Celtic manager at the time.
37:22Two Celtic managers.
37:24That's amazing.
37:25That's what I remember.
37:25I was in my element.
37:28Are we going outside now?
37:29Let's do it.
37:30Come on, Lydia, go walkies.
37:36Rod and Penny moved here to this beautiful house almost ten years ago
37:40and they've offered to take me on a seasonal stroll through the gardens
37:44to see how they've transformed the place.
37:46None of this topiary was here, none of this statuary, none of this was here.
37:52It's so romantic.
37:53All the statuary I bought from around the world.
37:56What, these?
37:57Phone wings, you go like this.
37:58Ding, ding, ding, ding.
37:59Statue.
37:59It's a little joke, lads.
38:02Anyway.
38:02There must be lots and pieces of it that are really meaningful.
38:08So Rod loves a bit of Versailles sort of gardens and palaces
38:11so he tries to sort of inject a little bit of that glory and glamour into the garden
38:16as well as the traditional English themes.
38:18Obviously you're not seeing it, you know, mid-summer when it's really beautiful.
38:23But Penny, I must admit, is in charge of all plants.
38:26I'm a bit of a green finger.
38:28Yeah.
38:28I put in all that stuff over there.
38:30And you put the tennis court in?
38:32Tennis court, I put the football pitch in.
38:35So Rod's the hard landscaper and I'm the soft landscaper.
38:38I like it.
38:39This place goes on and on and on.
38:41Yeah.
38:41What a find.
38:42I know, I know.
38:43Well, yeah, Mum found it.
38:45Yeah.
38:45That's handy.
38:46I mean, it was really derelict.
38:57This feels quite spiritual, being in nature.
39:00It does.
39:01It's, well, if I feel a little bit stressed or, you know, had a particularly long, hard day
39:06or whatever, if I come with the dogs and I come out here, talk about the bees and the birds,
39:11sit here and listen to nature, whether it's the wind in the leaves, it's just a...
39:19You're a mother of earth, aren't you, darling?
39:20It's a reset button.
39:23Earth mother.
39:24Well, you can't help it.
39:25Ask me if I come up here.
39:27Go on, do you give a...
39:27No.
39:28I'm in my train room all day.
39:30All the foot...
39:31Come on, tell us.
39:32We haven't even talked trains.
39:33You've been collecting for 30 years, though, haven't you?
39:35Well, it's not collection.
39:35You build it, really.
39:36Build it, sorry.
39:37Get the terminology right.
39:38Yeah, you've got to get the terminology right.
39:40You've been building it for 30 years.
39:42And then it got moved from America, which took two months.
39:45Goodness me.
39:47Two great big containers.
39:49How long do you spend with the railway?
39:51Spend a lot of time making it.
39:52So it's your hobby, but it's also creative.
39:55Oh, yeah.
39:55I mean, when I'm in a hotel room, you know, I've been all around the world.
40:00Most cities I've been to, especially America.
40:02Yeah.
40:02So I've been doing it all my life.
40:04What do you do in the afternoon?
40:05You know, I'm not one, but steady.
40:08So what do you do?
40:09Steady on.
40:10I mean, trains, you know.
40:11I get big suitcases flown in, and the hotel will set me up a lovely room.
40:17I had no idea.
40:18They do it in the hotels for you.
40:19The hotel will do it for me.
40:20Lovely.
40:20Lovely.
40:21This is all kind of wild, looser style of gardening, with the fruit trees and everything.
40:30This is like I'm in an episode of Countryfile.
40:36With the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War coinciding with Rod's 80th birthday,
40:43Penny's present to Rod last Christmas was particularly special.
40:46Here's our soldiers that Penny bought me from the Second World War.
40:51This was a Christmas present.
40:56To the fallen, never to be forgotten.
41:00Absolutely.
41:01Our boys.
41:02Let me salute them.
41:03Much loved, much respected.
41:06We love you guys.
41:07Thank you for our freedom.
41:10There we go.
41:11Very poignant present.
41:16Penny's looking for the puppies.
41:21They've gone to look at the Christmas decorations in the West End.
41:24Come on!
41:27Babies!
41:28Come on, babies!
41:30Oh, Lily's got to greet.
41:32Oh!
41:34Where's my baby?
41:36Come on, you guys!
41:39Come on, then!
41:41Come on, then!
41:42This one's got...
41:43One blue eye.
41:44David Bowie eyes.
41:45He does.
41:45He does.
41:46Hello.
41:47Yeah, you are gorgeous.
41:48You are absolutely gorgeous.
41:49Yeah, we are.
41:50Whey!
41:52Sorry!
41:52I don't like much.
41:58Of all the homes that you've had, do you have a favourite?
42:01Well, they're all different.
42:02The one in Beverly Hills is the biggest.
42:05But this is home, though, isn't it, Ruddy?
42:07Yeah.
42:08Green grass of England and...
42:09It's Britain.
42:10Yeah.
42:10Their home clearly means a lot to Rod and Penny, and there's a spiritual element here, which
42:18is really important to them.
42:21When we moved in here, because it was such an old property, we felt there were spirits,
42:26like, but not daunting, scary kind of ghost spirits, but I felt we needed to pay some kind
42:32of respect, just to say thank you for looking after this beautiful property, our old souls
42:42have left and new souls are here.
42:44I mean, it makes sense to me, Indians, Hindus, Sikhs, we do house blessings, like, we bless
42:48everything before we do anything.
42:50It's about cleansing the air.
42:51Cleansing and just respecting the space and the time that went before.
42:55Yeah.
42:55And, yeah.
42:56And making space for the new life.
42:58For the new life, yeah.
43:01And who better to perform the house blessing than the minister who'd married Rod and Penny
43:06and christened both of their children?
43:09Ian Gilmore.
43:10Ian Gilmore, yeah.
43:11It has been a pleasure to be involved in Rod and Penny's life.
43:16On one occasion, they were moving from an old house to a new house, and Rod said, let's
43:21get in the car to go to the new house.
43:23There was a Lamborghini and two Range Rovers, and then said, oh, no, Penny, look at that.
43:29The Ferrari's in the way.
43:31You bring the Ferrari out, and I'll get the Rolls Royce.
43:34So suddenly, I found myself being chauffeured by a rock star with a former model.
43:40I'm sitting in the back seat of a Rolls Royce, moving to a new house to do a blessing.
43:45This wasn't a normal activity for a parish minister who's usually cycling around to visit
43:51parishioners in their home.
43:54Anyway, I hope you have a fantastic Christmas.
43:57Just one comment that, Penny, Rod doesn't need another car for Christmas.
44:01Have a great day.
44:02That's true.
44:03That's true.
44:04That's wonderful.
44:05We're going now, Penn.
44:14While Rod goes for a wonder, Penny and I are going to finish our wreath-making and chat
44:18some more about their lives and her TV work.
44:21You know, I'm sitting there thinking, oh, I'm 74.
44:25You're people going mad.
44:26Darling, you're 75.
44:27You're 75.
44:30I'm 76.
44:32Oh, don't move.
44:34I'm not, I'm 74 now.
44:37Oh, I love it.
44:38You two need a show together.
44:40What's it like having Rod on Loose Women, interviewing your husband?
44:43Well, Rod often finds it kind of a bit daunting when there's like multiple people interviewing,
44:49especially four women.
44:51So I think having me on his side, it was kind of like I could give him his knee a little
44:55tweak or a little, you know.
44:57So it's sort of, yeah, just having his teammate with him, I think, helped.
45:01And then when I go, so darling, when was the da-da-da, you know, asking me a question?
45:06And then he would sort of normally turn the question back on me.
45:09Well, you tell me, Penny.
45:10So it was, you know, a bit of banter and back of all, which I think kind of our humour
45:15between the two of us kind of shines out.
45:18It's been really special seeing that dynamic up close and personal.
45:22It's lovely.
45:23He keeps me on my toes and I keep him on his toes too.
45:26I see that.
45:27I absolutely see it.
45:28It's not until it kind of hits you, literally from every angle, that you just think this
45:34is what they're all talking about.
45:36Because we're so good at hiding.
45:37No stranger to discussing personal matters on Loose Women, one topic which Penny has been
45:43particularly vocal in bringing into the public consciousness, both on the show and in her
45:48autobiography, is menopause awareness.
45:51I was reading about how you're very pro talking about the menopause, particularly around the house.
45:59Your sons know about it and Rod knows about it.
46:02And did I read that you're the first wife that's got to menopause age, which is why he's having to deal with it?
46:07Well, I mean, Rod would often say, you know, oh, the teenage boys, you know, I don't remember ever having to deal with this.
46:13And I said, darling, that's because you were never around under the same roof as the children
46:18growing up because they were all about the age of five when those relationships broke down.
46:23When I hit menopause, I didn't know what was happening to me.
46:25The boys certainly didn't know what was going on, but they knew something was wrong.
46:30This was like not like mummy at all.
46:33But actually, if you think about it, it's it's happening to us all because if it's happening to women,
46:38then it's happening to all the men around them.
46:40Yeah.
46:40My son came home from a football game once and said, mum, I had one of the dads come up to me on the sideline.
46:46So please thank your mum, because now I understand what's happening with my wife.
46:50But incredibly, I'm a I'm an ambassador for menopause mandate and together we've shouted from the rooftops.
47:01Yeah.
47:01And there's just been a new bill that's come through.
47:04Firstly, women are able to get their the HRT for one prescription only for an entire 12 months
47:10instead of having to pay each and every month.
47:13And then recently, believe it or not, the 40 year old check for women.
47:18Yeah.
47:19But the NHS, they never spoke about menopause.
47:22How could they not discuss that?
47:23Yeah.
47:24When most of the perimenopause begins in mid 40s.
47:27Yeah.
47:28So now that's included in the conversation when you go for the check at 40.
47:32So well done you.
47:33So your memoir that you wrote, Someone Like Me, why did you choose to write it?
47:39Why now?
47:41Well, I feel that I finally found myself.
47:46You know, we're all kind of asking ourselves, where's our destiny?
47:50What are we here for?
47:52What makes us happy?
47:53And I've come to a place where I couldn't be happier because I hit menopause.
47:58And then I decided that was the time not to sort of give up on myself, but actually reinvent myself.
48:04And so I thought, I have my story to tell now.
48:07I'm finally where I'm always supposed to be.
48:10Whereas for a long time, I've been wondering where that place was.
48:13Isn't that interesting?
48:15Yeah.
48:15Because from afar, you think, oh, there's a very settled woman, but no one really knows what's going on with anybody.
48:25Mingling with world-famous stars is a way of life for Rod and Penny, and there's not many people they're awestruck by.
48:31But in 2018, they were granted a very special audience.
48:37You and Rod met the Pope.
48:39I know.
48:40How extraordinary was that?
48:42Well, yeah.
48:43Obviously in Italy, in Rome.
48:46As Pope Francis came along, the eye contact that we got, it was very powerful.
48:55He spent quite a time with us, and he placed both of our hands on top of one another, and his hand on top of ours, and held it together.
49:05What did that mean to you?
49:14It sort of cemented, I suppose, all the wishes that Rod and I had for one another.
49:23Yeah.
49:23All those sort of prayers that we'd had quietly.
49:30He gave us two rosary beads as well, and he blessed us, and it was just like, yeah, made it all feel like it was our destiny.
49:43We keep saying, you know, we're not particularly religious, so I suppose we sort of sit at the back as opposed to the front.
49:53Yeah.
49:53I think lots of people can relate to that.
49:56Quietly religious.
49:57Yeah.
49:58But it's meaningful.
49:59Yeah.
49:59It's for you.
50:00You do it for you.
50:01And I think you can pray at home.
50:03You can pray in the garden.
50:04You can pray at a football pitch.
50:05I'm sure Rod's prayed a few times at a football pitch.
50:07I don't think you need to be in church, but the church is where everyone pays respect to that space, and there's silence, and you can collect your thoughts.
50:19So I think it is an important space, yeah.
50:22Oh, no, I mean, I love a church.
50:24So Christmas, is church important for you?
50:28It is.
50:28It's probably more so for me, but the family are great.
50:32We're going, come on, let's do this for mum.
50:35Yeah.
50:35You know, let's all go to church, dress up nicely, be respectful, and sing our carols.
50:42Last year, we went to church in our local town.
50:46It's on a lovely green, and so all the locals are coming together, holding the candles, singing Silent Night with all the lights off in the church.
50:57It reminds you to sort of think back to the past, to families that are no longer with us, that would have been ordinarily sharing that Christmas time, and to look at the new generation coming through, and just sort of family, I suppose.
51:15Yeah, I can see that family is so important to you, and Rod.
51:19Yes, very much so.
51:20I mean, I think that's what's ultimately brought us both back to living in England, being closer to the bosom of our family, and sort of realising that, you know, you've got to grab every moment while you can.
51:34With thoughts at this time of year, often turning to reflections on mortality, Rod's got some of his own.
51:46Follow me, gentlemen.
51:49So this little house here is where I'm going to be laid to rest.
51:55Like the Duke of Edinburgh, I like to plan ahead, so that's where I'm going to be.
51:59That's my special place.
52:04Penny hates to talk about it, but we all have to die.
52:09You know, Rod's sister is 96 now, and I keep telling her she's got to give us to at least 100.
52:15Yeah.
52:16How's she getting on?
52:17She's incredible.
52:1896?
52:18Yeah.
52:19Good genetics.
52:20Amazing genetics.
52:21Look at Rod.
52:22I know.
52:22How's your wreath coming along?
52:23That's gorgeous.
52:24I think if I do any more, it will be overdone.
52:27I think it's perfect.
52:28And I've done that.
52:29Look at yours.
52:30Yeah.
52:30We've both done something.
52:31Can we put them on my front door?
52:33Yes.
52:33Oh, my gosh, yes.
52:35Absolutely.
52:35Shall we go back to the house?
52:36Let's decide which door we're going to put it on.
52:38Where?
52:39Come on, Lily.
52:41Let's go, baby.
52:42Good girl.
52:48It might be nearly Christmas, but Rod and Penny are both as busy as ever.
52:54When you think back on your life, Rod, you must think, like, what happened?
52:58There must be some sort of...
52:59Every day.
53:01Yeah.
53:01Every day.
53:02It's truly amazing.
53:04It's...
53:05I have to keep pinching myself.
53:08I literally do.
53:09And I've been at this since I was 19 and I'm 18 now.
53:12Yeah.
53:13I've just finished Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
53:17And it's still going on.
53:18I mean, doing a month's tour in Europe, it's all sold out.
53:22The next year's already lined up.
53:24And the year after that, hopefully, I'll do a British tour.
53:27Oh, yeah.
53:32Meanwhile, Penny's got a rather unexpected new career of her own,
53:36which grew out of a life-changing appearance on a challenging reality show.
53:40Can we discuss your new career as a special constable?
53:45Like, you don't need to do this.
53:46People just probably still can't believe that you do this,
53:49but you are out there working as a special constable.
53:52I was last night, actually.
53:53Were you?
53:54Yeah.
53:54And this is where it all started, as you did this TV show.
53:58Penny's team take the first 999 call.
54:01Two young women with a history of violence
54:03are suspected of shoplifting in Peterborough's city centre.
54:06She's going to do a runner.
54:10Excuse me, ladies.
54:11So brave.
54:12Stay where you are.
54:12Excuse me.
54:13Stay where you are.
54:14I have a suspect, one of the females I'm running after on the street right now.
54:24No, no, no, please.
54:25Move.
54:27Stab me.
54:29No wrong, Gladstone Street.
54:30I stab you with my dirty needle.
54:32Yes.
54:32Threatening to stab.
54:33Yeah.
54:34God.
54:34That was before all her training.
54:37Yes.
54:38She was a mere novice.
54:39Yeah.
54:39I wasn't quite expecting to be thrown into the deep end like that.
54:42But you kept going.
54:44Your instinct was to keep going.
54:45You could have stopped.
54:46You could have turned around and said,
54:47I'm not doing anything.
54:48But you kept going.
54:49Well, that's why I'm doing it now.
54:51Exactly.
54:51It just felt like it was a kind of, you know, where I needed to be.
54:55And I feel more myself in the uniform than I do anywhere else.
55:00Well, isn't that interesting?
55:02Penny said once, and I quote, the reason she does it, she loves London and she wants to look after it.
55:09Yeah.
55:11That's wonderful.
55:11How do you feel about it?
55:13I'm over the worrying period now when she would be late coming home.
55:17You know, I'd worry, is she okay?
55:19No, she's great.
55:21But he got kind of used to the routine and he's met some of the guys that I work with who are amazing.
55:27It's great to work in the city.
55:29You've got so much backup.
55:30It's a small, you know, one mile area, including the bridges.
55:35I absolutely love it.
55:37Good for you.
55:37Really good for you.
55:40Such an amazing love story.
55:4125 years.
55:43What's the secret?
55:43I think that over the years you've become a little more understanding and compassionate to others around you.
55:55Because obviously being the super legendary star that Rod Stewart is, is on a pedestal all the time.
56:02Yeah.
56:04But I'm quite diplomatic and carry a lot of empathy.
56:09And I think maybe some of that is rubbed off because the kids will say that dad's much easier to talk to now, for instance.
56:17So I think because I'm very open and honest, as you said, it's kind of encouraged Rod to do a similar thing.
56:25Yeah.
56:26With my other kids, the grown-up kids.
56:29You've brought a great energy to the whole set-up.
56:32Openness and honesty about it.
56:34And I think, to be honest with you, I think the age difference has, there are downsides to the age difference.
56:42Not many.
56:43But I think there's a maturity that I may have taught Penny.
56:47And there's a certain honesty that she's taught me.
56:51For instance, I've always said we don't argue before we go to bed.
56:55And we do not argue when we've had a glass of wine.
56:58Yeah.
56:58And we wait till the morning.
56:59And if we do have arguments, it's over real quick.
57:04And I try and teach my boys, all of them, real men can say sorry.
57:09You know, and that's what we do.
57:11I'm always, oh, God, we're doing that.
57:12Has that come over time?
57:14Yeah.
57:14Oh, look.
57:15Yeah, no, it's true, but it's, you know, you do.
57:17It's the old bugger.
57:19Oh, dear.
57:20Yeah, but, you know, there's a wonderful honesty between the two of us.
57:25And I think long may it last.
57:28Absolutely.
57:29Here's to that.
57:40What a joy and pleasure to be in the company of Rod and Penny.
57:43And what more fitting way to end our time together than a Christmas sing-along.
57:48What a privilege.
57:49So I wish you a Merry Christmas.
57:51I wish you a Merry Christmas.
57:53We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
58:02Was that right?
58:03That was amazing.
58:04Merry Christmas, Rod.
58:05Oh, my God.
58:05Oh, thank you so much.
58:07Bye, darling.
58:08Oh, so good.
58:11Oh, so good.
58:11Look at the flags.
58:27We've noticed the flags.
58:28It's the Pope on one of them.
58:29Is that when you went to Italy?
58:31Yeah, when you went to...
58:33Oh, yeah, you found him.
58:33I wish you could go outside Celtic Park.
58:35It's just a Catholic team.
58:37That's where I was going.
58:37Yes.
58:38Oh, my name's Celic.
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