Vicky Pattison has revealed her five-year plan to move back to the North East, start a family, and slow down. The 38-year-old told us: "I want a place back home, babies, I want to start slowing it all down – that's kind of our five-year plan."
She added: "I want somewhere our dogs can run free on the beach, and if we are able to grow our family, be close to my own family. I want that support."
As we speak, Vicky is preparing to set off with her husband of two years, Ercan Ramadan, to film Escape To The Country – and potentially find their dream house in the north east.
Always a Newcastle girl at heart
She admitted that although she's made a 'lovely life' for herself down south, where much of her work is based, she will always be a Newcastle girl at heart.
She said: "I don't know if it's the heat in London this summer that has totally pushed us over the edge, but we want to escape. I miss my family like rotten. The older I get, the stronger that urge to go 'home' becomes."
The heatwave has also affected their 'separate beds' dynamic at home – Vicky famously sleeps with the couple's golden Labrador Milo and chocolate Labrador Max, with Ercan exiled to the spare room – but only a little.
"Yes, we're still in separate beds," she laughed. "Except Ercan's back in our bed upstairs and I'm in the living room with the dogs! We got air-con fitted downstairs, but upstairs is still like a total sauna. Ercan's Turkish though, he can cope with it. I, on the other hand, cannot."
Opposites attract
Sleeping arrangements aside, she's clearly as loved-up with her husband as ever. She said: "That trope about opposites attract is so accurate. Like, I'm a million miles an hour and I want everything done yesterday. He's calm, patient and thoughtful – all the things that I probably wish I had more of.
"When you're young, you want to travel, take all the big jobs, go on all the exciting adventures, but I feel like my life's getting a little smaller every year. I'm content with that – to have a smaller friendship circle, to just bother with the girls I've known for 20 years.
"And a huge part of that smaller life for me is my family, and giving my time and energy to the people who deserve it. Honestly lads, I'm getting really old and really boring."
Her memories of growing up are still vivid as she fondly told us about beach trips with her grandparents to play cricket, and swimming in the North Sea.
"I remember days spent in Saltwell Park, fish and chips out of the paper. And, there's a huge part of me that really wants that for the dogs and our kids, if we're blessed in that space," she smiled.
Support for Andy Burnham
Speaking of Northerners, Vicky has thrown her support behind new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. "I'm a forever optimist," she said of the Lancashire-born politician. "I think the alternative, to assume the worst all the time, is quite depressing. I have hope in him.
"He's inherited a real mess. But I like that he's northern, loud, doing things his own way, standing up for the working classes and the people who need it most.
"We just have to exercise some patience and optimism. Rome wasn't built in a day, and I think if we give Burnham a chance, there's huge potential."
The TV star, who worked with the previous Labour government's Wes Streeting, on the PMDD Project, hopes to continue collaborating with Burnham's cabinet. She said: "I'm really excited to meet the new minister for health.
"We were working really hard on the new strategy for women's health so fingers crossed we're going to pick up where we left off. I've heard they are committed, and passionate about joining our cause."
Strictly hopes and Nivea campaign
Though she may be settling down, Vicky is no stranger to a challenge, as her Strictly Come Dancing stint last year proved. She battled serious nerves during her own stint alongside pro dancer Kai Waddingham and finished in eighth place – and is now rooting for her bestie Dani Dyer to win.
She beamed: "Dani's going to smash it. And if I was a betting woman, I'd say she's going to win it, too. She's just cuter than a bunny in a bow tie. So sweet, genuine and lovely. I was at her 30th birthday recently.
"I honestly just want to wrap her up in cotton wool. And I want her to have the best experience. I can't wait for everyone to fall in love with her even more."
She's bemused by negative comments she's seen from people who don't like all the huge changes this year as Strictly welcomes new presenting trio, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and former pro Johannes Radebe – as well as five new professional dancers.
She said: "I read the comments, because I'm chronically online (it's a problem – I'm working on it). You know, 'Oh, it won't be the same', 'there's too much change', blah, blah. That's just such an instinctual reaction because change is uncomfortable.
"Emma Willis is absolutely beautiful, smart as a tack and a safe pair of hands. JoJo, I'm really excited that he's been given this platform to show just how charismatic and funny he is. And the inclusion of a comedian in Josh is genius. Life is hard, the world is scary. Let's have some comedy, some sparkle."
There have been grumbles that not enough of the celebrity line-up are well-known enough, but Vicky evidently has little time for it. "Wouldn't it be amazing if the people who write this c**p in the comments, rather than say that, just didn't write anything?
Another good pal is ex-TOWIE star Pete Wicks, who recently went public with his Kiss FM co-star Olivia Attwood following her split from husband Bradley Dack back in January. And Vicky couldn't be happier for him.
"All I've ever wanted was for Pete to be happy. And he's the happiest I've ever seen of him," Vicky said. "Honestly, as long as he's happy, I'm happy."
Elsewhere, the star is fronting a campaign for Nivea Daily Essentials, from Nivea Soft to refreshing day creams – a range she thinks is perfectly in keeping with her philosophy on looking after yourself – without breaking the bank.
"I've had Nivea in my handbag for as long as I can remember," she said. "I feel like it started with my mum. It's a brand you trust."
She added: "What interested me about their Skin Savvy, Not Spenny campaign is I'm passionate about women being able to look after themselves, practise self-care and not always put themselves last.
"Us women always seem to put ourselves way down the list. It's about looking after yourself and your skin, and it not costing the earth.
"I'm a simple girl and this Nivea range is perfect – no way am I following a 17-step skincare routine and remortgaging my house because I've seen it on TikTok!"
Vicky Pattison is the ambassador for NIVEA's Skin Savvy, Not Spenny campaign.
