Charlotte Hawkins, the 51-year-old presenter of Good Morning Britain, wakes at 2:30am each day to prepare for live television. She describes the schedule as gruelling but manageable, though it takes a toll on her family life. Living in Surrey with her husband Mark Herbert and 11-year-old daughter Ella Rose, she says the early starts can be disorienting: 'Sometimes you don't even know what time of day it is. You go for a little nap and then you wake up thinking, 'What time is it? What day is it? What have I missed?''
Balancing Career and Family
Charlotte compares arriving at the studio to 'stepping onto a roller-coaster,' adding, 'But I love it, because it's so fast-paced. Sometimes you think you know what's going to happen, then breaking news will completely change everything.' To ensure quality time with her daughter, she earmarks family time during school breaks. 'We write a list of things, like baking a cake, and we make sure we tick them off,' she explains.
Ella Rose has strong opinions, especially on style. When Charlotte took her shopping, she says, 'I was picking what I thought were cute outfits, and she was just like, 'No! That's disgusting.' I said, you know, 'I do this for a living.' She wasn't having any of it. She definitely puts me in my place – but good for her. She's got a strong sense of identity.'
Social Media Restrictions for Children
Charlotte supports government plans to introduce social media restrictions for under-16s next year. Her daughter does not have a phone or access to social media. 'I'm pleased they're bringing in [restrictions], it's too much for children at that age and they don't have the capacity, I don't think, to be able to deal with the complexities and potential issues that come from that,' she says.
She knows friends whose children have been bullied online and says, 'It's just not worth that risk. I look back at my childhood and think, 'My goodness, I'm so glad I didn't have it.'' She adds that the news covers heartbreaking stories of parents who have lost children due to online incidents, and she is 'fully in support of making the changes to protect children.'
Online Nastiness and Kindness
Charlotte is 'staggered by the amount of nastiness out there, which seems to be getting worse.' She notes that people feel they can say anything online but likely would not say it to someone's face. 'Good manners and trying to be a good, kind person is so important. We've all got to take responsibility for how we treat people,' she says.
Support for Kate Garraway
Charlotte was a pillar of support for her friend and GMB co-host Kate Garraway during her husband Derek Draper's long illness before his death in January 2024 at age 56. 'She's had so much going on in her life, and I am full of admiration for the way that, whatever was happening, she didn't let it show,' Charlotte says. They had private chats before hosting, and Charlotte saw the strain. 'It was incredible that she did all of that. I know she knew we were there for her - it was a very supportive environment when she was going through the toughest parts of it.' Now, Charlotte is pleased to see Kate happier, especially amid rumours of a bond with broadcaster Liam Halligan.
Family Influence and Classical Music
Charlotte's warmth comes from her family, especially her late father Frank, a vicar who played classical music loudly at home. She presents on Classic FM and hopes to pass on her love of classical music to her daughter. 'There are ways people are making it modern and breathing a new sense of life into it for the future generations to come,' she says.
Since 2011, she has presented the cinema broadcast of André Rieu's Summer Concert, this year titled Viva Maastricht. The event transforms Maastricht's Vrijthof Square into an open-air ballroom, celebrating 20 years of performances. In 2017, David Hasselhoff made a surprise appearance. 'I hadn't expected to see him there at all,' Charlotte recalls. 'The audience went absolutely crazy! Getting to meet him was so surreal, having grown up watching Baywatch. He was lovely and I got a picture with him.'
No Tweakments and Healthy Lifestyle
Charlotte says she has not had any cosmetic procedures. 'I'd be concerned about messing with my face because I've seen examples of when it's gone wrong. But I completely understand there are people who do it, and it looks amazing, and they feel amazing. So for those people, good on you.' She adds, 'There will come a time where I'll look in the mirror like, 'I think it's time now.' But not yet.'
She maintains her health by eating well: 'I try to eat the right foods, drink water and take supplements. I eat a lot of nuts and seeds, avocado, brown rice and sardines. But if I'm going out, I'll have a blowout.'
Marriage to Mark Herbert
Charlotte has been married to Mark for 18 years. She attributes their success to effective communication: 'You've got to treat each other with respect, be each other's best friends. We rarely have disagreements. When you know you're in it for the long haul, you want to make it work. It's best to talk about things as soon as possible. Some people bottle everything up and it comes out in a massive blow-up.' She stresses the importance of small acts of kindness, saying, 'As with everything in life, little acts of kindness can go a long way.'
