Mel's midlife crisis 'I'M FINALLY IN CONTROL'

The presenter's had some big setbacks, but finally feels she's found something to treasure

- Donna Fleming

Mel Homer considers herself to be pretty resilient. After losing several jobs due to redundancy M - the most recent with Today FM when the plug was pulled on the radio station earlier this year the broadcaster reckons she's not too bad at getting back on her feet.

And she's hoping that will prove useful with challenges she's facing as a contestant on Celebrity Treasure Island.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to bounce back, although when you are surviving on rice and beans and you're really tired and emotional, that plays into how you react to things. But I'm hoping having a bit of maturity and experience with situations not working out as you want will help." The ups and downs in her career have taught Mel, 53, that things that seem overwhelming will eventually feel less traumatic, given time. And how you react can make a world of difference.

"I've learnt not to take things personally, even if it does feel really personal," says the former presenter of daytime TV show The Café, which was axed in 2020 in the wake of the Covid lockdowns.

"And not to blame other people for what happens. You can't hold a grudge because you'll just be grumpy all the time."

That attitude helped in the first week of Celebrity Treasure Island, when Matilda Green put her up for elimination. Mel was shocked to be chosen - and being exhausted after completing a massive challenge didn't help.