The presenter opened up about her tragic loss which she says she failed to process
Best known for her role on BBC’s Countryfile, Anita Rani has said that she faced a tough year and faced panic attacks due to the toll anxiety was taking on her after a sudden loss.
The presenter opened up about her demanding career, revealing whilst working constantly and, therefore, rarely having time off with her working overtime, she was also dealing with the emotional strain of a miscarriage which happened in December 2018. In a 2020 piece with Red magazine, Anita opened up about the challenges she faced during that difficult period: “I moved to London in August 2001 and hit the ground running.
“And why wouldn’t you? I came to the capital to live life to the fullest and carve a career in an industry that traditionally didn’t employ people like me. I was working at my usual crazy pace, except I was also having a miscarriage.”
Speaking about Christmas, she continued: “It was an incredibly sad time for me and my husband, but because there was so much going on with at work, I didn’t slow down, and decided to process it properly at Christmas instead. The truth is, I didn’t process it over Christmas.”
Because of her constant anxiety, it led to her having a panic attack, something she says made herself feel unrecognisable. “All year I felt anxiety and insecurity like never before. What made those feelings worse was the terror of not knowing or understanding what I was going through. I didn’t recognise myself. It’s only now, after a year of reflection and paying attention, that I fully understand what the problem was: I was sad. Deeply, truly and cripplingly sad”, reports the Express.
Anita has been in the news recently having taken a swipe at Gregg Wallace’s ‘middle class women’ message. The TV star made a bold statement during an awards event in London, donning a dress prominently featuring the phrase “middle-class women of a certain age”. It comes after the TV chef found himself in hot water after posting a video on Instagram addressing allegations against him saying: ”Now in the newspaper, I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity Masterchef. This isn’t right.”
His words sparked outrage, including from some celebrities, prompting Gregg to issue an apology for “any offence” caused. Despite the controversy, Gregg’s legal team say “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature,” and Wallace himself has strongly refuted all claims against him.
Anita also made headlines after shes split from her husband of 14 years last year. Bhupi Rehal and Anita tied the knot in 2009 with a source telling the Mirror Online: “It’s really sad but they’ve decided to separate. Their hectic schedules over the past couple of years have sadly meant they’ve drifted apart over time. They remain on very good terms and wish nothing but the best for one another.”
If you have been affected by the topic of this article, please visit the Baby loss information and support section on Tommy’s website here. “Our Tommy’s Midwives’ helpline is for people who have had any type of pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy or termination for medical reasons. The midwives who run the line are specialists who can support you with any aspect of pregnancy loss that would be helpful for you, including mental health and pregnancy after loss”, they say.
You can call 0800 0147 800 or email midwife@tommys.org. If you don’t get through immediately, leave your number or email and they will get back to you.
