Amanda Owen, known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess, has opened up about the true toll of her separation from husband Clive, revealing she suffered an eating disorder and feared for her life. In a candid interview, the mother of nine described the breakdown as 'cataclysmic', triggered by the end of their 22-year marriage and a short-lived relationship with web designer Rob Davies, 72.
Amanda told the Daily Mail: 'I just shut down. Physical and mental health are intertwined and anxiety, depression, paranoia, agoraphobia and an eating disorder were all smooshed into one.' She said her eating issues were amplified by nine pregnancies, and the children witnessed her struggles, which she believes taught them resilience.
Clive admitted there were nights he feared he would not see Amanda the next morning. Amanda recalled a Valentine's night when she went outside in the dark and began vomiting blood. 'The eating disorder has always bubbled up beneath the surface but I never imagined it would happen to that degree,' she said. Clive, in his simplistic way, asked: 'Why don't you just eat summat?'
Despite their split, Amanda and Clive continue to live on Ravenseat Farm in Swaledale, North Yorkshire, co-parenting their children and remaining business partners. Clive previously admitted his struggle with Amanda's growing fame, saying he wanted to keep her to himself and turned to whisky, which led to arguments. 'My anger drove Amanda away,' he said.
