whenwe're not working together!
Woman interview
S
arah Beeny really is a jack of all trades. After making her name as a property developer, Sarah, 44, made her TV debut in 2001 fronting shows including Property Ladder. Now she’s taking over the reins of C4 show Four Rooms. But she’s just as busy away from our TV screens. Not only does Sarah run a business empire – including online dating website My Single Friend – with her husband Graham Swift, but she’s also mum to sons Laurie, 12, Rafferty, 10, Billy, eight, and Charlie, six. We’re tired just thinking about it… ‘I like to think I’m good at matchmaking, but I’m probably not! I’ve
done a lot of it in the past but it never really worked that well – occasionally it did for two weeks and then it’d be really embarrassing as it would go horribly wrong and you’d think, ‘Why did I do that?’ So I needed more people to fix up. Now three or four times a week I get people coming up to me saying they met their husband or wife on my website My Single Friend. Every time it makes me feel really lovely. It’s amazing. Especially when you meet their babies – that makes me cry a bit, actually!’ ‘My brother Dicon was going out with my now husband’s sister Caroline and they wanted us to meet. My brother
mentioned it and I thought, ‘Are you joking? There is no way I’m going to meet your new girlfriend’s brother – don’t be ridiculous!’ But here we are, all still together now. My husband Graham and I have been together for 25 years and the four of us are all a bit nauseating. We go on holiday together, work together, and – even though they sadly moved out of London into the countryside – we see them whenever we can. There are 12 of us with our families and when we get together it’s like we don’t need anybody else – we’ve already got the party!’
‘MY HUSBAND AND I ROW when we’re not working together!’ Sarah Beeny chats to Woman about marriage, family life and struggling with getting older… ‘I recognise that good parenting is about routine and consistency – but I hate routine and I hate consistency! I
mean to be consistent but I can’t quite achieve it. There’s nothing I like more than something that is completely unexpected, so it makes me a really bad parent. My 12-year-old son said to me, ‘Look Mum, you just need to see your threats through and that would make your life a lot easier!’ I know he’s right! My four boys drive me potty – they just don’t listen at all! But I think that’s just boys. They must have a genetic thing that turns their ears off. It’s always the same things I’m asking them to do. I think, ‘If I’m bored asking, surely you lot are too!’ ‘Do I feel outnumbered in a house full of boys? Not really! I talk to my children as
though they’re adults, and they’re really good at chatting. They’re quite in tune with their feminine side in that respect, as is my husband. Obviously we do end up talking about superheroes, but I can also talk to them about any subject – from local and world poverty to drugs and prostitution. They probably know more than they should and they have opinions that are quite well-rounded.’
because I don’t know why if you’re a man you should be excluded. I don’t want to be excluded from a boys’ night out!’ ‘Turning 39 [the age Sarah’s mother was when she passed away] was a big deal, and then turning 40 was fine. But
‘I’ve got friends who are girls, but I’ve never had a gang of girlfriends who have all gone out. My husband hasn’t
41 was really bad – much worse than 39! I had all of these psychosomatic health problems, which, in hindsight, were just stress related. I’d had two careers, I’d had all the children I was going to have – because there was no way my husband was going to let me have any more – and I’d done most of the things that I wanted to do. Then, at the same time, you’re looking in the mirror thinking, ‘You just look older than I remember you being!’’
got a gang of boys, either. We met when we were young and we lived together, so neither of us have done the ‘men’s night out’ and ‘girls’ night in’. I’ve got just as many friends that are boys, as girls. I actually find ‘girls’ night out’ really sexist,
‘Knowing that you’ve had all of your children is quite a weird thing. I don’t
better when we work together – we reallyy row when we don’t! I like his company and he makes me laugh, so it’s better with h o him around. We always say we’re going to go out and not talk about work or the kids, but then we look at each other and end up doing it anyway! We’re not as good as we used to be at going out. When n we had a full-time nanny we had a babysitter who would babysit every Wednesday night, so we’d go to a local French restaurant that we both like.’
10
WOMANMAGAZINE.CO.UK
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
Sarah has been the face of property renovation enovation since 2001
Sarah and husband Graham m with their sons Laurie, Billyy,, Rafferty and Charlie
WORDS: RIANNE ISON PHOTOS: WOMAN & HOME/TREVOR /TREVOR LEIGHTON
‘Graham and I have always worked together. I actually think we get on
‘We don’t need anybody else – we’ve already got the party!’
want any more – I struggle to give the four the time I want to give them – but to think it’s done and you’re now past children made me think the next thing in my life would be retirement and downsizing! All of these things happen at the same time, so it’s really weird. It got better after a year or so, and you soon realise there are still plenty of things you want to do. It just takes time to re-adjust and think, ‘this is a new chapter’.’ ✱ Four Rooms returns to More4 soon
WOMANMAGAZINE.CO.UK
11
93WMN16033106.pgs 01.08.2016 16:17
S
arah Beeny really is a jack of all trades. After making her name as a property developer, Sarah, 44, made her TV debut in 2001 fronting shows including Property Ladder. Now she’s taking over the reins of C4 show Four Rooms. But she’s just as busy away from our TV screens. Not only does Sarah run a business empire – including online dating website My Single Friend – with her husband Graham Swift, but she’s also mum to sons Laurie, 12, Rafferty, 10, Billy, eight, and Charlie, six. We’re tired just thinking about it… ‘I like to think I’m good at matchmaking, but I’m probably not! I’ve
done a lot of it in the past but it never really worked that well – occasionally it did for two weeks and then it’d be really embarrassing as it would go horribly wrong and you’d think, ‘Why did I do that?’ So I needed more people to fix up. Now three or four times a week I get people coming up to me saying they met their husband or wife on my website My Single Friend. Every time it makes me feel really lovely. It’s amazing. Especially when you meet their babies – that makes me cry a bit, actually!’ ‘My brother Dicon was going out with my now husband’s sister Caroline and they wanted us to meet. My brother
mentioned it and I thought, ‘Are you joking? There is no way I’m going to meet your new girlfriend’s brother – don’t be ridiculous!’ But here we are, all still together now. My husband Graham and I have been together for 25 years and the four of us are all a bit nauseating. We go on holiday together, work together, and – even though they sadly moved out of London into the countryside – we see them whenever we can. There are 12 of us with our families and when we get together it’s like we don’t need anybody else – we’ve already got the party!’
‘MY HUSBAND AND I ROW when we’re not working together!’ Sarah Beeny chats to Woman about marriage, family life and struggling with getting older… ‘I recognise that good parenting is about routine and consistency – but I hate routine and I hate consistency! I
mean to be consistent but I can’t quite achieve it. There’s nothing I like more than something that is completely unexpected, so it makes me a really bad parent. My 12-year-old son said to me, ‘Look Mum, you just need to see your threats through and that would make your life a lot easier!’ I know he’s right! My four boys drive me potty – they just don’t listen at all! But I think that’s just boys. They must have a genetic thing that turns their ears off. It’s always the same things I’m asking them to do. I think, ‘If I’m bored asking, surely you lot are too!’ ‘Do I feel outnumbered in a house full of boys? Not really! I talk to my children as
though they’re adults, and they’re really good at chatting. They’re quite in tune with their feminine side in that respect, as is my husband. Obviously we do end up talking about superheroes, but I can also talk to them about any subject – from local and world poverty to drugs and prostitution. They probably know more than they should and they have opinions that are quite well-rounded.’
because I don’t know why if you’re a man you should be excluded. I don’t want to be excluded from a boys’ night out!’ ‘Turning 39 [the age Sarah’s mother was when she passed away] was a big deal, and then turning 40 was fine. But
‘I’ve got friends who are girls, but I’ve never had a gang of girlfriends who have all gone out. My husband hasn’t
41 was really bad – much worse than 39! I had all of these psychosomatic health problems, which, in hindsight, were just stress related. I’d had two careers, I’d had all the children I was going to have – because there was no way my husband was going to let me have any more – and I’d done most of the things that I wanted to do. Then, at the same time, you’re looking in the mirror thinking, ‘You just look older than I remember you being!’’
got a gang of boys, either. We met when we were young and we lived together, so neither of us have done the ‘men’s night out’ and ‘girls’ night in’. I’ve got just as many friends that are boys, as girls. I actually find ‘girls’ night out’ really sexist,
‘Knowing that you’ve had all of your children is quite a weird thing. I don’t
better when we work together – we reallyy row when we don’t! I like his company and he makes me laugh, so it’s better with h o him around. We always say we’re going to go out and not talk about work or the kids, but then we look at each other and end up doing it anyway! We’re not as good as we used to be at going out. When n we had a full-time nanny we had a babysitter who would babysit every Wednesday night, so we’d go to a local French restaurant that we both like.’
10
WOMANMAGAZINE.CO.UK
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
Sarah has been the face of property renovation enovation since 2001
Sarah and husband Graham m with their sons Laurie, Billyy,, Rafferty and Charlie
WORDS: RIANNE ISON PHOTOS: WOMAN & HOME/TREVOR /TREVOR LEIGHTON
‘Graham and I have always worked together. I actually think we get on
‘We don’t need anybody else – we’ve already got the party!’
want any more – I struggle to give the four the time I want to give them – but to think it’s done and you’re now past children made me think the next thing in my life would be retirement and downsizing! All of these things happen at the same time, so it’s really weird. It got better after a year or so, and you soon realise there are still plenty of things you want to do. It just takes time to re-adjust and think, ‘this is a new chapter’.’ ✱ Four Rooms returns to More4 soon
WOMANMAGAZINE.CO.UK
11
93WMN16033106.pgs 01.08.2016 16:17
