Interesting People at 50 Plus

 

 

I met Valerie Singleton at the Retirement Show in the summer and she kindly agreed to be interviewed for our website

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valerie Singleton has had a varied career.  She joined Blue Peter as a presenter in 1962 and stayed with the programme for 9 years. She joined Nationwide to present the show's new "Consumer Unit" and later became one of the main hosts of the show. She moved on to BBC's late night news programme Tonight and Tonight in Town. She worked on many other programmes, including Radio 4's PM and BBC Two's The Money Programme. She presented a travel programme for ITV, had her own Quiz show on Channel 4 and a series interviewing well-known figures from all walks of life on the History Channel. Today she is a regular travel writer for several national publications. And recently she launched and became a director of a website offering discounts to the over 50's. www.discount-age.co.uk

This means in her early 70's she has set up a business for the first time in her life with four colleagues.

Valerie was awarded the OBE for her services to children's television, in 1994.

How does it feel being an, ‘older woman’?

I have lots of friends, of all ages, some older, some younger.  They are just great mates and have been for years. Many live in London and some live near me in Dorset. Most of the friends that I’ve made since moving to the country are a bit younger than me, we have just gravitated towards each other. 2 of my best girlfriends are 20 years younger than me.  I don’t think about age when I make friends – it is to do with getting along with people and enjoying their company. Most of the men in my life have been younger than me, even when I was in my 20’s. Age didn’t come into it…. It was people I liked and got along with.  I didn’t consciously look for boyfriends younger than me!  And I absolutely loathe the term ‘toy boy’.  I think it is very derogatory. How can a man in his 40’s or 50’s be a toy boy?   

Being older doesn’t bother me - it’s in the mind and in one’s attitude. Although when I hear that someone has died at 82 for example. Then it makes me think, ‘that could be me in 10 years time!’ and that’s a bit scary. It makes me think  ‘gosh am I going to read all the books I want to read?’ and ‘go to all the places I want to go to? Time running out!’

What are your views on retiring or carrying on working?

Well I've never had a job I had to retire from at a certain age!  I've just always worked. I didn't have a gap year. I left drama school and went straight to Bromley rep for a year and then had five years acting and becoming very successful at voice-overs for commercials and a great variety of other work and then joined the BBC when I was 25.  When I moved to the country a friend kept saying for the first year or two 'Oh, surely you'll be taking things easy now'.   I said why would I?   I like working. 

Obviously there is not as much TV work being offered now I am an 'older presenter', but I still get requests to do things like Master Chef or Ready Steady Cook.  As I'm a lousy cook I said I wouldn't like to do either!   I rarely get offered what I call a proper job. It is more the kind of work that is associated with being a celebrity. Though I do hate that term. Things like 'I'm a Celeb get me out of here'. I am still being asked though! And incredibly I'm still being contacted from all over the world for autographs.

I am doing a lot of travel writing. I've just come back from a fabulous Wendy Wu Tour of China and I am writing that up. I've been to Australia to visit some relatives that I didn’t know existed, and I've written that up for the Mail on Sunday and an article for the Lady about Hong Kong and Macau.  I think you go on doing something till you can't any more. I suppose if I were totally incapacitated I'd be stuck. 

I don't know what retirement means! Does it mean that I would have to say to my agent?

'No I don't want to do anything, I'm just sitting in the garden reading my book?  I'd go potty. I do get quite down if I have too many days when nothing much is happening. I like to keep active. 

Does it make you cross –that there’s less work when you get older and women sidelined in the media?

I think it is terrible that women are sidelined.  I think it's extraordinary. Especially today when older women look so good.

I wonder whom the bosses at the BBC are aiming at, as a lot of their audience are older people. It's very odd thinking.  Are they aiming at the men who are watching? Trying to bring in a younger audience because they think they will want to watch gorgeous pretty girls and if that is the case why don't they they bring in gorgeous young men for the women to watch?  . Although, I did see recently Gloria Hunniford presenting the One Show with Gethin Jones - a complete reversal! People are not any any less capable because they are older

A lot has happened for me by sheer chance! A couple of years ago I was contacted by a young producer in his early 30's working for the Money Programme. He was making a film about older people setting up businesses and asked me to present it. It was great fun. We filmed in several locations, including a couple of days in France and met some very interesting new entrepreneurs. By sheer chance the film was seen by an old friend called Nigel Houghton. He rang me to ask if I'd like to join him and several others launch a new website called discount-age. It sounded like a new and exciting challenge and I didn't hesitate to say yes. I became a director and a businesswoman for the first time in my life!!  My name has helped to generate a lot of interest and publicity as well as my video I record for the site each month. 

I have been able to bring in some of my travel contacts who have offered some terrific discounts on holidays and every time I meet people I tell them about the company to see if they might be interested in being involved. I have my cards with me all the time and various places around town have kindly let me leave cards for people to pick up. There has been a lot of interest shown and I am really enjoying doing something so different.

I am a great believer that when one door closes another opens. Just as I was leaving Blue Peter along came Nationwide. Towards the end of my stint on PM, I had two offers to do travel trips, which led to my beginning to write travel pieces. I wasn't sure my editor would allow me the time off but I thought, I could only ask. Incredibly he said yes. The first trip was to Zambia where I met Alastair McKenzie, who was part of the group. He was just about to begin a travel programme on Classic FM.  When I left PM I asked Alastair if there was anything I could do and the next moment I was off to an icy Chicago and a warm sunny Arizona clutching a microphone and tape recorder!  My travel recording and writing days had begun.

When the Classic FM programme came off a few years later I concentrated on writing. In the last 18 years I have been to some really fantastic countries. Places I might never have chosen to visit or might not have been able to afford to visit. I have seen almost every Caribbean island, been on wonderful walks in France and Italy, been to India, South Korea, America several times and Alaska in the winter which is breathtakingly beautiful and many other fabulous destinations. 

I have been incredibly lucky and made some very good friends along the way. 

I think my only regrets are that I wish I had been more sensible with my money! I am a bit of a spendthrift! If I had saved a bit more I think it would have given me more freedom now to take off a bit more at a moment's notice...visit friends in different parts of the world. I never regret money spent on books and I can't pass a bookshop without buying one, maybe even two or three. But I have splurged far too much on clothes and shoes that I really don't need. 

When you think of yourself is it in terms of age?

I suppose it comes home to you sometimes. Recently I had to visit a specialist about a bit of a back problem. He wrote back to my doctor and said....’I’ve just seen this very pleasant 72 year old lady!'  And one thinks why did he have to write like that? Couldn't he have just written I’ve just seen Valerie....’?  But I suppose that is how he saw me... as an old lady!  I thought of him just as a consultant, and he thought of me as a 72 year old. It is not how I think of myself so it was a bit of a shock!!

If I ruled the world you would have your birth date recorded and then no one would know your age until the day you died. You would be judged solely on what you had done and your abilities. I just wish we didn't have to think about age all the time. And I do hate it when people get stuck and are not prepared to be open to new ideas and possibilities.

I remember one friend who said she didn't remember any songs since the Beatles. How sad. What a lot of lovely music she has missed. And I was being given a lift home by another girlfriend when I saw this fabulous car... 'What a sexy car ' I exclaimed. 'What on earth is a sexy car' she asked. . 'Well that was' I said. There was a very long pause and she then said 'Oh.... I’m surprised you're still interested in sex at your age'. 

Is there a certain age you have to stop being interested in things...whether it is sex or music or lovely clothes... If so what is it? Will someone please tell me?

Do you have any tips to stay feeling young and vibrant?

All sorts of things. Be curious and interested. Study new subjects, whatever interests you. Keep exercised and slim. Of course sometimes a lot of what you can do comes down to finances but have a fun new haircut if you feel a bit stuck in a rut. Have a free makeup in one of the large stores with some new ideas.  Try and make an effort. Be engaged and open to new ideas.  Don't presume you have to cut things out of your life just because you have hit 59 and a half or 63 and three quarters. Just go on being you.

Do have any ideas about keeping on learning, keeping active etc? Is it important to keep active?

I'm a member of gym. I've just been there today and almost all the other people working out looked well into their 70's and 80's. Fantastic.   I like going to the cinema, and to exhibitions. I watch interesting programmes on TV. I love wildlife programmes. I am an avid watcher of the news and am fascinated by foreign affairs. I would love to have been a foreign correspondent.  I like to know what's happening, and I like to work things out in my head.  I think about the news. I am a great reader of factual books. There are so many fascinating subjects to learn about. I take different courses at a wonderful place called Dillington House, near Ilminster. I go out a lot and read a paper in a coffee shop. I get talking to people and often make new friends that way.  We are very fortunate as we can do what we want as older women. We can feel terrific and these days there is no reason at all why we shouldn't look good.   There is so much advice around.

 Does getting older (to your 90s) worry you?  Like care etc?

Yes I suppose so. I don't have a partner, so I worry a little about that for the future, but I'm sure somehow I'll manage and I have a lot of very supportive friends. And lets face it none of us know what is going to happen tomorrow.

My grandmother lived well into her 80's and then got cancer. She was a vegetarian and never smoked.  My father lived to 97, and only really started going downhill from 94. Mum died in her early 80's, very sadly from the result of a botched up accident. My friends all think I will live as long as my father but I don't want to if none of my friends are around.   That would be sad.

It's really important not to put things off. If you feel you are up to hang gliding and you have always wanted to try it, then just go for it.