Carol Vorderman, who has been a television staple since joining Countdown in 1989, will return to screens for the 27th Pride of Britain Awards on ITV on October 22. The 65-year-old presenter's career has included roles on Loose Women and I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, but her life away from the cameras has involved significant personal challenges.
Chronic Arthritis Diagnosis
In 2024, Vorderman was diagnosed with chronic rheumatoid arthritis after receiving travel vaccines for a trip to Thailand. She has described the intense pain that followed, saying: "I can't prove that they caused it. My hands doubled in size. I couldn't walk. I literally couldn't move anything without crying in pain."
She was on steroids for approximately eight months and now takes another medication for the rest of her life. Speaking about the impact, she said: "I've always prided myself on being healthy. It was as much as I could do to look out of the window and think, 'I hope one day I'll be able to walk without pain again.'"
Vorderman recently told The Mirror that the experience changed her perspective: "You become much more conscious of your overall health. Your priority list changes. It was a big shock to the system, and that's why I have every sympathy for people with chronic pain. I just don't know how they live with it. It's just depressing."
Severe Depression During Menopause
In her mid-50s, Vorderman experienced a severe phase of depression and anxiety during the menopause. Speaking on the Postcards from Midlife podcast, she recalled having dark thoughts despite there being "nothing wrong" in her life. She said: "When I went through it, I had severe depression for about six months. I think it was 2015. There was nothing wrong in my life, I had made a lot of money, my kids were fine, my mum was fine. There was no problem. And yet I would wake up in this huge bed in this huge house, I've got a swimming pool outside and all of that, and I just thought, 'What's the point?'"
She also detailed her experience on This Morning as part of their Menopause Bus, saying: "I had hormonal depression for a while during the perimenopause. It was horrific to the point of feeling suicidal. I've never even had anxiety in my life before, other than for a specific reason." Vorderman explained that she was given bio-identical hormones, and within 48 hours, the depression lifted.
Loss of Her Mother
In 2017, Vorderman's mother, Jean, died at the age of 88 following a battle with terminal cancer. Vorderman shared the news on social media, writing: "Some days are tough, today was one of them. Today was my amazing Mum's funeral… Rest in Peace, Jean Vorderman. You will always be loved."
Vorderman has spoken about how close she was with her mother, who sent off her job application for Countdown before she got the role. She said: "From the age of 21, I'd loved looking after Mum. I employed her full-time from when I was 25. We always lived together. It's taken time to come to terms with losing her. Now that Katie and Cameron are grown up, I realise this is the first time in my life I've had no responsibilities."
The Pride of Britain Awards air on Thursday, October 22 on ITV from 8pm.
