Penny Lancaster opens up about havoc caused by menopause during lockdown
The Loose Women star worried she was exhibiting coronavirus symptoms – and feared infecting her 75-year-old husband, Sir Rod Stewart – when she was in fact beginning to experience menopause
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Lady Penny Lancaster has revealed she found herself enduring menopause during lockdown – prompting additional stress and concerns amid the adjustment to the ‘new normal’.
The 49-year-old former model and Loose Women panelist has been married to Rock n Roll legend Sir Rod Stewart, 75, since 2007.
Together the couple have two sons – 14-year-old Alastair and nine-year old Aiden – while Rod has six other children from previous relationships.
Opening up about her time during lockdown, Lady Penny revealed she relied too much on alcohol and rich dinners, gaining over a stone in weight, as she tried to find ways to distract herself from the trauma of the global coronavirus pandemic.
However, her lockdown became even more fraught when she began experiencing menopause symptoms – leading to arguments as her hormones yo-yoed, while her hot flushes left her fearing she had contracted the deadly Covid-19 virus, leaving her fearful she could infect her older husband.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Lady Penny explained that she would try to liven up the day by having “themed” dinners, with Mexican, Italian and French days.
She would whip up impressive meals and accompany them with relevant alcohols – but found this daily ritual began to slip out of hand.
She explained: “So with that, tequila came out on Mexican night. I was matching cocktails and wine with food on every level.
“Because we were having such great weather I thought, ‘Why not have Pimm’s at lunch?’ or ‘Why not have a glass of rosé?’
“I ended up drinking at lunch and dinner, trying to imagine we were on holiday somewhere and we were in a remote location.”
Lady Penny went on to explain that it is “never a good idea” to consume too much alcohol on a daily basis as she found she turned to drinks to “numb” her anxieties as the world was ravaged by the Covid crisis.
While changes in her body left the star’s emotions frayed – revealing one incident where she became overwhelmed in front of her children.
She said: “The kids were arguing. I’d done these individual chicken pies and one of them got thrown across the kitchen. I screamed, then I cried. The boys came running over to comfort me and I apologised.
“I’ve had to explain to Rod and the boys that sometimes I might get angry and cry because my hormones are changing so much.”
She went on to explain her fear that she had contracted coronavirus when hot flushes caused havoc with her body temperature.
Lady Penny said she feared she had the virus and could pass it to her husband and children – before realising it was menopause.
She said: “I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ve got the virus, I’m going to pass it to my husband and my children’.
“I’ve never felt a fire so intense, like a heat in my body, then I would go freezing cold. It was worse than when I’ve been ill in the past.”
She also said she felt like her “woman-hood is being taken away” by the natural ageing process.
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