Amanda Holden admits she wishes she had more time to spend with her daughters and reveals her anxiety about them growing up and leaving home
Lauren Fletcher
She’s one of the biggest stars on TV, with a coveted role as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent,as well as a radio show on Heart FM – but Amanda Holden’s busy working life doesn’t come without its family hardships.
The 53-year-old, who has been married to husband Chris Hughes for 16 years, juggles her career with caring for their two daughters, Alexa (also known as Lexi), 18, and Hollie, 12, and admits she often struggles with “mum guilt”.
Amanda recently opened up to co-star Alan Carr in an episode of Amanda And Alan’s Italian Job, and became emotional as she discussed her daughters eventually leaving home.
“When your children, when they leave home, you only spend a year of your life with them ever again,” she said. “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’re like, ‘Shush,’ or ‘Hurry up,’ or ‘What?’. Or you’re on your phone or cooking dinner or something goes wrong… And then you go, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Then you turn around and they’re not even there. And they’ve gone.”
Amanda shared a clip of the conversation on Instagram, captioning the video, “Time flies. Enjoy it.”
Fans quickly rallied round to support her, with one follower writing, “I was sobbing when I watched this in your series. I have one daughter who will be 18 this year possibly uni next year and I honestly can’t imagine it.”
And Loose Womenstar Ruth Langsford said, “You’re right… It flies SO quickly… Enjoy every second that you can.”
As well as the heartbreak of her children leaving the nest, a source claimed Amanda also gets “upset” as she grapples with mum guilt.
They said, “She just wants to give her family the best but she knows she’s away a lot. She does feel upset and guilty, like many mums, that work means she has sometimes missed out – but she tries to make it up as best she can by having great experiences with them and lovely family holidays. Amanda is a great mum and all about her family. She knows the work she does sets a good example to her two girls.”
The source added, “And it does make her teary, sometimes, that fear of the kids eventually leaving the family home – she really doesn’t want
