I'm glad I did the show before social media I would've been cancelled!'

Big Brother star Kate Lawler talks about settling down after the show, how her life changed when she became a dog parent and finding motherhood difficult

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Incredibly, it’s been more than two decades since Kate Lawler made history as the first woman to win Big Brother.

But the 44-year-old still has the same cheeky, playful demeanour that won over viewers as we sit down for an exclusive interview. Now a doting mum to five-year-old daughter Noa and two dogs, who she shares with husband Martin Bojtos, Kate tells us she’s mellowed since her escapades in the famous house.

“When I was in my twenties, I partied hard. But then, in my thirties, I became a dog parent. I started to settle down and do more wholesome things at the weekend,” she explains. “I reduced my alcohol intake and went to the gym a lot more.”

Kate says she’s glad there’s little evidence of her wild days on Big Brother back in 2002, including in-house romances and breaking tables with Alison Hammond.

“I could not be happier that I did that show before social media,” she laughs. “I think I would have been cancelled!”

One thing Kate does use social media for is to speak candidly to her fans, including sharing the highs and lows of motherhood with Noa – a journey which hasn’t been easy following a battle with postnatal depression.

“When I first had Noa, I felt like nobody was really being honest on social media about how the first year of parenting is, how it’s possible that you can love your child with every fibre of your being, but also find it really mundane and hard. It’s life-changing.“