As she speaks out about ageing and her daughters growing up, insiders say Amanda Holden is concerned about the future
She’s made no secret of her dread over her daughters flying the nest. And an emotional Amanda Holden, 52, could barely broach the topic recently when asked about Lexi, 18, and 12-year-old Hollie – who she shares with record producer husband, Chris Hughes – leaving home.
Speaking during an episode of her show Amanda Holden and Alan Carr’s The Italian Job with best pal Alan Carr, Amanda said, “Don’t. It’s hard. It’s so hard.
“You know what someone said to me? They said, your children, when they leave home, you then only spend, like, a year of your life with them ever again.
“They say you have 18 summers, and then you’re lucky to see them. It’s so terrible, because you wish so much of it away. When you’re a busy parent, you just go, ‘Oh god,’ or you’re like, ‘Shush’ or, ‘Hurry up’ or, ‘What?’ or you’re on your phone or you’re cooking dinner or something goes wrong or you’re like, ‘Don’t interrupt me.’
“I spend my life going, ‘Hurry up, don’t interrupt,’ and then you go, ‘Oh my gosh.’ And then turn around and they’re not even there, and they’ve gone.”
INSECURITIES
A source close to the host says, “With Lexi’s departure imminent, it’s left Amanda feeling full of regret and doubt over what she may not have done right and what she could have done better.
“While she knows her insecurities are unfounded and the girls are constantly telling her what an incredible mum she’s been and still is, she can’t help feeling this overwhelming sadness at her girls growing up and leaving her –admitting she is fearful of the loneliness she’s going to endure when the time comes.”
Last year, Amanda was left triggered by her pal Tess Daly’s Instagram post, paying tribute to her daughter Phoebe’s school days coming to an end.
Sympathising with a series of heartfelt throwback snaps which Tess, 54, shared, Amanda commented with one tearful and one heart-eyed emoji.
Just a week earlier, the emotional radio host broke down on her show while talking about her youngest daughter, Hollie, starting secondary school. “I’m not going to lie, I feel a bit depressed today,” she sobbed to her co-host, Jamie Theakston.
SUPPORTIVE
At the time, it was reported that fledging model Lexi – who was signed to top agency, Storm, which launched the career of supermodel Kate Moss – had been eyeing-up American universities.
The reports were sparked by a family trip to LA, which also prompted rumours that Amanda was considering uprooting the whole family to the States in the hope of cracking the US and
