Carol Vorderman has revealed she has been called "every name under the sun" following her candid revelations about her polyamorous lifestyle. The 65-year-old former Countdown host has multiple "special friends", all of whom are fully aware of one another, and she champions this type of relationship as she "couldn't think of anything worse" than committing to just one partner. The broadcaster currently has three special friends, with one residing in America.
Vorderman Opens Up About Backlash
Speaking about the negative reaction during an appearance on Channel 5's A Night In With Sally Lindsay, Vorderman said: "I tell you what's interesting, obviously when I came out and said this, that I have special friends and that's fine, everyone's single, you get called all the names under the sun. And you think, 'Oh god, here we go again' but I've stuck by it."
Since discussing her relationship structure publicly, she said numerous other women have reached out to share they follow a comparable lifestyle. "And now they're making shows about things like that too," she added, before rejecting the suggestion that she is a "trailblazer" for polyamory.
Why Vorderman Chooses Not to Settle Down
Vorderman explained her decision not to settle down: "I don't want to settle down, I'm very happy as I am. It's not against anyone and it's not saying that if an independent woman wants to do that, it's wrong, because we're really the first, sort of, generation where we have financial independence and that makes a huge difference."
She continued: "I'm not saying people shouldn't get married, I'm not saying people shouldn't live together, but for me, I couldn't think of anything worse right now, I really couldn't."
Financial Independence and Social Life
Vorderman emphasised her independence: "I've got lots of great mates, I have a great social life, I don't need anyone for money. I don't need anyone for anything really, other than the nice bits," she added, laughing.
The presenter has walked down the aisle twice previously, first to Christopher Mather in 1985, which ended the following year. Four years on, she married Patrick King, with whom she has two children. The pair divorced in 2000.
Past Marriage Influenced Her Decision
Vorderman has revealed the collapse of her second marriage led her to conclude she no longer wished to commit to one person long-term. Speaking recently on The Vanessa Feltz Show, the Pride of Britain host explained she and Patrick "were blissfully happy and then suddenly we weren't".
"I got to my 50s and I thought, I don't really want to settle down," she added. "My children were older and I'm totally financially independent. I've got great friends. I have a brilliant social life, I love laughing, I love going on holiday with my friends. I'm invited all around the world to go and stay with people. So that's what I do."
