Lisa Faulkner has opened up about her marriage with celebrity chef, John Torode, who has recently been sacked from MasterChef after being accused of using a racist term
Since their romance blossomed on Celebrity MasterChef 15 years ago, Lisa Faulkner and John Torode have become a beloved fixture on British TV cooking programmes.
The couple exchanged vows at the 17th-century country estate Aynhoe Park in 2019, and there’s something about them as a duo, beyond their evident culinary prowess, that people find endearing. The one individual who seems perplexed by their popularity – and she articulates this in the most gracious manner – is Lisa herself. “I honestly have no idea about why there’s such interest,” she admits, chuckling.
“I don’t read anything about us, I certainly don’t have Google alerts set up or anything. The closest I’ve come to it is probably at food shows or when people stop us in the street and say, ‘Oh we love you two’, or that they love the shows.
“Maybe it’s because we genuinely have a lovely relationship? We have a bit of banter but it’s never sniping at each other. We’re just kind to each other, we get on and we look out for each other.”
Recently, life has been rather hectic for Lisa. She’s the proud mother of an 18 year old daughter, and has cautiously ventured back into acting, while also filming John And Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen for ITV, in addition to working on their spin-offs and cookery books, reports the Mirror.
Considering their numerous ventures, one might question how the duo manage to strike a balance between work and leisure. “We have so much to do separately, and we film about 10 episodes of our show in nine days, so it’s not really that much time together!” Lisa explains.
“We’re not in each other’s pockets, which I think would make our relationship very different. So, it’s really nice to actually catch up on holidays or when we’re working together.”
Setting boundaries is also crucial, according to Lisa, particularly in the kitchen. “We cook together, which we really enjoy, and obviously our sort of home office is the kitchen, where we’re constantly cooking, or writing recipes and coming up with ideas.
“So sometimes there are nights when I think, ‘I don’t actually want to cook a recipe that I need to test tonight, I’m going to cook a spag bol.’ It’s about getting a balance.
“In my job, it’s either feast or famine. But when I’ve got nothing on I’ve learnt to enjoy those times – cooking for the family, sitting in the garden, even doing the washing!”
It’s hard to believe that even Lisa, who celebrated her 53rd birthday earlier this year, could have foreseen all the wonderful opportunities her victorious stint on Celebrity MasterChef would bring her, including a husband.
Aside from her personal life, she’s established herself as a true culinary connoisseur, holding her own at industry events alongside gastronomic giants like Michel Roux and Dame Mary Berry (and John, naturally). After the success of John And Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, which premiered in 2019, her initial passion for acting took a bit of a backseat.
However, that’s about to change, Lisa reveals with a smile.
“Acting makes my heart beat, it makes me so excited,” she shares. “I’m still manifesting a period drama. I did some acting last year, in Harlan Coben’s Missing You, and I absolutely loved it. I haven’t done a period piece for a very, very long time so that’s my bucket-list job.”
However, there are more immediate tasks on her agenda this summer, beginning with John’s 60th birthday this week. A special trip to Cornwall is planned (which will be “dog friendly”, Lisa quickly adds, so their cherished pet Rory can join), filled with early morning strolls, delicious food, and numerous toasts to the birthday boy.
Lisa, who tragically lost her mum Julie to throat cancer in her teenage years, is also keen to spend quality time with her 18 year old daughter Billie. Adopted by Lisa and her ex-husband Chris Coghill as a baby, Billie’s growth into adulthood has been a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it experience for Lisa.
“It’s really mad and very surreal, I think it all the time. But she’s so very capable. She’s been travelling and she’s already planning her next adventure. I’m just amazed at her and what she can do. She’s just such an amazing young woman.”
Another key figure in Lisa’s life is her cherished Schnoodle dog, Rory. Now eight years old, Rory holds a special place in Lisa’s heart, with the actress confessing, “I love her so, so much, it’s ridiculous!”
The former EastEnders star recently took on the role of ambassador for Bella+Duke raw pet food company, and will be hosting a new podcast series this summer featuring celebrity pet owners and their furry companions.
“Rory is really part of our family. I want her to live as long as possible, so I want to give the best I can give her. Raw food doesn’t have to be all or nothing either, even 25 or 50% raw food diet can make a massive impact. I can easily spend my money on a takeaway coffee or a croissant, or make some little changes for Rory – and feed her food that I know will keep her healthy and make her last longer.”
Rory is not only great for sofa snuggles, she admits, but is also hugely important to Lisa’s mental and physical health. The pair walk together every morning “without fail”, she says, adding, “I just love to get out – and get out of my head.”
She explains, “I don’t listen to podcasts or music when I’m walking, which I know people think is weird. I like to hear the trees, the grass, the wind, the sounds of my feet on the gravel, the birds. Getting older is a privilege, and I don’t think women have it easy – so that’s often my time.
“I’m not always rainbows and sunshine, believe me, but if you walk, or walk and talk, it helps with anything. I’m a big believer in attitude, too. If I see someone in the street and they’re wearing something lovely, I’ll tell them, because we don’t always lift each other up, and we should.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
