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Life coach and Celebs Go Dating presenter Anna Williamson chats to Psychologies about love, and why the most important relationship we all have is the one we have with ourselves
It says a lot about Anna Williamson’s infectious sense of positivity and hopefulness that she is able to see the bright side of having a mental breakdown. Not many people would look back on being plunged into depression in their twenties positively, but Williamson can see the silver lining.
‘It was only thanks to that time that I got hooked on therapy, andIfound it so life changing that I wanted to train in it myself,’ she explains.
‘I’m a huge advocate of self-help, but I also wanted to help others, as I felt at the time – this was 15 or 16 years ago–that the mental health arena was pretty bleak. It wasn’t trendy on TV, like it is now. But trends change and, for me, it’s a happy accident that it’s become so talked-about.’
Managing to combine such a humble attitude with her joyful nature is surely what has kept her on our screens for the past 23 years, combining a girl-next-door warmth with genuine expertise. It’s certainly what won her the job on Celebs Go Dating, now in its 12th season.
‘Thanks to my breakdown, I ended up getting a gig on the telly, giving out the advice. And then the role for Celebs Go Dating came up. Even when I went to be interviewed, I thought, “Oh gosh, there must be so many life coaches or therapists that are going for this job.”
‘I didn’t give it a second thought that they would select me as their new dating agent. So when my agent rang me to say I’d got the job, I actually thought it was foravoiceover job that I’d been for at the same time. But she explained, “No, they want you to join Celebs Go Dating.” And that was nearly five years ago, now!’
The popularity of the show – along with rival dating programmes, such as Love Island – has led to ever more debate on how these shows affect our own thoughts and behaviour. Does she think they can create unrealistic expectations?
‘I would say the opposite,’ Williamson reflects. ‘Let’s be fair, there arealot of dating shows across the board – every channel has a dating show now, and it’s very much a genre that keeps on giving.
‘But different shows shine a different spotlight. Some of them are very glossy and, yes, there’s this sort of aspirational push towards beauty and aesthetics,’ she says.
‘But the reason I love Celebs Go Dating in particular is because it’s so realistic; these people are solely there because they are having problems in their love life. And I think it’s really great for celebrities to come on the show, to let us unpack them, and use it as an oppor
