Television presenter Lucy Alexander has disclosed that she is currently in recovery following gallbladder surgery, sharing a photo from her hospital bed on Instagram this Tuesday. The former Homes Under the Hammer star, aged 56, informed her followers that she must avoid heavy lifting for six weeks after the procedure, which is typically performed to alleviate pain caused by gallstones or inflammation.
Recovery and Gratitude
In the posted image, Lucy Alexander is seen lying in a hospital bed connected to medical equipment. She captioned the photo: 'Straight off my trip into a planned hospital op. Just recovering from GALL BLADDER surgery. Any advice or tips please DM. Thank you NHS for looking after me so well @kingstonhospitals. 6 weeks of no heavy lifting & resting.' This heartfelt message highlights her appreciation for the National Health Service's care during her treatment.
Career Resurgence and Personal Challenges
In 2024, Lucy Alexander became a permanent host of Channel 4's A Place in the Sun, after initially appearing as a guest presenter the previous year. However, she nearly declined the opportunity due to concerns related to perimenopause. She explained to the Daily Mail: 'I wasn't sure whether I should take the job at first. Being perimenopausal, I was worried about having hot flushes in a hot country. I thought, "Maybe this is just for younger people?" But then I thought, "Come on, Lucy, don't be silly."'
To manage her symptoms, she received a cooling scarf from friend Ruth Langsford and has adopted a straightforward approach with her crew, stating, 'I have no qualms saying to an all-male crew, "Hold on, I'm having a hot flush, I need a minute."'
Family and Professional Life
Lucy Alexander shares two children with ex-Premier League footballer Stewart Castledine: Leo, 18, and Kitty, 21, who was left paralysed 14 years ago after contracting Transverse Myelitis. Reflecting on her career, she said: 'I feel like my career is having a second wind in my 50s. Presenting A Place In The Sun is the most perfect job at a perfect time in my life. I spend most evenings googling holidays and houses anyway, and now my children are grown up, I can go away without worrying about them!'
She added that earlier in her career, she was often preoccupied with parenting duties, but now enjoys more freedom: 'Earlier in my career, I was always clock-watching, phoning the kids, helping them with their homework, but now I can stop and smell the roses.'
Television Legacy and Confidence
From its launch in 2003 until her departure in 2016, Lucy Alexander co-presented BBC's Homes Under the Hammer alongside Martin Roberts and Dion Dublin, gaining valuable property expertise that later made her an ideal fit for A Place in the Sun. The Channel 4 offer came over 25 years after her first television role, and she acknowledged the challenges of aging in the public eye: 'Getting older in front of the camera is hard. I don't look like I did in my 40s but I made a decision that I wasn't going to let that hold me back.'
She emphasized the importance of confidence and experience: 'I've had to work hard on my confidence, but I feel good in my 50s. It's not always easy for women my age, but the older we get, the more life experience we have, and we still have a lot to give.' Concluding on a positive note, she affirmed: 'I'm not hanging up my television presenting boots yet.'
