Ben Shephard Overwhelmed with Emotion During Fearne Cotton's Interview
Television presenter Ben Shephard was visibly moved to tears during a heartfelt segment on This Morning, where his longtime friend Fearne Cotton opened up about the motivations behind her latest literary work. The emotional exchange occurred on Thursday, March 12, as Cotton joined Shephard and co-host Cat Deeley to discuss her new book, Likeable: How I Broke Free From The Need To Please.
A Personal and Poignant Reading Experience
Shephard, aged 51, admitted to finding the book profoundly challenging to read due to their close personal relationship. He recounted taking a copy to a pub, where he became engrossed in its pages. "I couldn't stop reading it. It's an extraordinary testament to what you've done, what you've lived through, what you've experienced... so honest," Shephard told Cotton, his voice trembling with emotion. He added, "I'm going to cry," as he reflected on the raw honesty of her writing and recalled attending one of her Happy Place Festivals in London.
The book delves into Cotton's journey of overcoming a deep-seated need to please others, a theme that resonated strongly with Shephard. He expressed how difficult it was to process her experiences, stating, "Your experience was so hard for me to think that you've gone through it, and you sharing that is so important for us."
Therapy Session Sparks Writing Inspiration
Cotton, 44, explained that the impetus for writing Likeable came from a pivotal therapy session. She described a moment when her therapist posed a revealing question: "How important is it that I like you?" This query brought Cotton to tears and served as a wake-up call, highlighting how far her people-pleasing tendencies had extended, even in a therapeutic setting.
She elaborated on the detrimental effects of this behavior, noting, "I think I was in a state in my life where I just said yes to everything, tried to help everybody, do everything for everybody, and I was at the bottom of the pile." While Cotton acknowledged that not all her physical and mental struggles stemmed from people pleasing, she affirmed that it played a significant role in her past challenges.
Allusions to Past Trauma and Shame
The interview also touched on darker periods in Cotton's life, indirectly referencing her brief relationship with Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets frontman convicted of multiple child sex offences in 2013. In her book, Cotton hints at enduring a phase of "depression and heaviness" due to intense feelings of shame following Watkins's crimes, though she does not name him explicitly.
She writes about the difficulty of broadcasting on BBC Radio 1 during that time, feeling scrutinized and isolated. "I feel simultaneously glared at, stared at, yet utterly ignored by those in the office. Are they all talking about me behind my back? Or am I a narcissist for thinking that?" Cotton penned, describing how she suppressed her emotions to continue working.
Through therapy, Cotton has since worked to release this shame, realizing it "belongs to others"—primarily men who have mistreated her. Watkins died in prison in October last year at age 48, with a murder trial for his death scheduled for May.
Broader Context and Aftermath
Watkins's crimes were heinous, including attempted rape of an infant and possession of vast amounts of child abuse material, requiring GCHQ intervention to decrypt files. His death has brought renewed attention to Cotton's past struggles, which she has addressed through social media posts about shame and mental health.
In a recent Instagram video, Cotton shared insights on shame, stating, "So many of us feel shame but we assume it's just us because that is what shame does. It wants you to believe that it's just you but it's not..." She also mentioned current sleep difficulties, indicating ongoing personal challenges.
This candid interview on This Morning not only highlighted Cotton's literary achievements but also underscored the emotional weight of her personal history, leaving both Shephard and viewers deeply moved by her resilience and honesty.
