‘I’ve always been a risk taker’
If it scares her, Catherine Tyldesley wants to do it. Here the former Corrie star tells Margaret Hussey how dreaming big is the secret to happiness
She may have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media - but when it comes to her family, actress Catherine Tyldesley is setting down ground rules. “My son Alfie is getting to that age now he’s nine, where some of his friends do have phones and I’ve been very strict about it,” she says.
“We are very careful with his screen time and he won’t have one until towards the end of high school. I just don’t want him around that world of social media.”
Catherine’s comments come as a report by the Education Select Committee says that the next government should consider proposing a ban on smartphones for under-16s.
“I was part of the last generation that grew up without a mobile and I’m so grateful for that,” she says.
It’s not the only area where Catherine, 40, sets out good life rules. Nutrition and mental wellbeing are paramount for the family. As well as Alfie, Catherine and photographer husband Tom, 37, also have a daughter Iris, two.
“We try to encourage a really healthy environment in the way we talk about food,” says the former Coronation Street star.
“I love a treat as much as the next person, but 90 per cent of the time I’m a big believer that if it ran, swam or grew from the earth, eat it. I try my very best to stay away from processed and junk foods.
“My dad has a big allotment. We are very fortunate that we get a lot of homegrown vegetables from him and we’ve started to grow our own.
“I’m also super passionate about schools showing children how to grow their own vegetables. That should be massively encouraged.”
Catherine is particularly conscious of nutrition as hers was “shocking” when she was younger.
“When I was 18 I was much bigger. My gut health was terrible. My diet was so bad, it was full of processed food, sweeteners.
“It’s no wonder that I didn’t have any energy and that my mental health may not have been great at times. My hormones were all over the place, my skin was terrible.”
It’s one of the reasons she’s an ambassador for the water-based probiotic Symprove, which she has been taking for 10 years.
“I was first introduced to it by Dale Pinnock, the Medicinal Chef. I was having a lot of problems with digestive issues and IBS.
“I’m a big fan of educating myself all the time on nutrition and when I started to look at how important gut health was, I thought ‘holy smoke’ – it is connected to everything. It blows me away, the science behind it.”
Meditation is another go-to for Catherine. “It’s become a big part of my life. As a busy working mum sometimes you are pushed for time but if you find just five minutes on an app, YouTube or with relaxing music, it helps reset.
“It’s something I’ve tried to integrate with Alfie – he’s a big fan of meditation.”
Catherine, who is currently in Malta filming series two of Channel 5’s The Good Ship Murder, is also gung ho when it comes to physical health. She does weights three times a week, goes cold water swimming and is a fan of ice baths, saying: “It’s the most incredible euphoric experience. I’m a huge fan of being outdoors. If I’m around mud and trees, that’s my happy place. We would all live outside if we could.”
Catherine clearly loves being a mum. “Before I was a parent, I hold my hands up, I was selfish. I didn’t have any other responsibilities and suddenly these little people come along and change your life for the better.
“They open up your eyes to a different world, expose your inner child, which is one of the best things. To see the world through children’s eyes is just magical.”
She wants to encourage her children to dream big too. “If you can dream it, if you can see it, then go for it. Anything is achievable. To chase your dreams is the route to happiness.”
She also wants to lead by example, instilling a good work ethic in her children, and turns to former Corrie actresses for advice and inspiration.
“Katherine Kelly is a very good friend of mine and I admire her greatly.
The same with Sally Lindsay and Suranne Jones. They are real champions of women.”
Catherine left the cobbles in 2018 after seven years playing Eva Price and has been busy ever since. “The more of a challenge something is, the more I seem to enjoy it,” she says.
“I’m a big believer that if it scares you, you should do it. I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker.” It seems to be working for Catherine...
‘‘ Ice baths are an incredible experience, I’m a huge fan of being outdoors