A former Big Brother contestant was in tears as doctors informed her that she was perimenopausal.
Kate Lawler, 42, won Big Brother’s third series in 2002, alongside This Morning’s Alison Hammond, Adele Roberts, and the late Jade Goody.
She’s had a highly successful TV career since then, starring on series like Celebrity Wrestling, Love Island, Hole in the Wall, and Total Wipeout, as well as working in radio.
She has now disclosed that she has been dealing with a ‘heavy burden’ while juggling her professional and family obligations, as well as her recent diagnosis.
Kate posted a photo on social media this week, indicating she was now perimenopausal and had been prescribed HRT.
She posted a tearful selfie to her Instagram story, writing: ‘Just a selfie of me earlier because you know, life/work/child/the news/housework/bla bla.
‘Only sharing this because the last few days my Insta may have looked like all the fun but in all honesty, the majority of the days over the last week have been a lot and I’m due on so that probably doesn’t help.
‘And I had a call from my GP after blood tests to tell me I’m perimenopausal and the offer of HRT just made me feel weird. Anyway, if your own mental load feels heavy right now, I see you and I’m sending you so much love.’
She went on to share the realities of being a working mum.
‘I just think it’s important to be truthful about motherhood and how you don’t have round the clock childcare and you’re trying to work jobs alongside the job of being a Mum, things can sometimes feel overwhelming and s****,’ she added.
Her tweet comes after Kate responded to trolls who were body-shaming her last month.
While on vacation, she posted images of herself enjoying up the rays, but some accused her of ‘provoking anorexics’ because of the way she looked.
Martin Bojtos, her husband, attacked the naysayers in the comments area, writing: ‘I love that people are concerned about my wife’s weight when I cook for her.
‘Guys, chill – it’s the camera angle. Put the phone down and go outside for a bit.’
Kate told The Sun shortly after that she was horrified by similarities to fellow Big Brother competitor Nikki Grahame, who died in 2021 at the age of 38 following a lengthy struggle with anorexia.
‘I honestly couldn’t believe it. To compare me to her is outrageous and so insensitive to Nikki’s family,’ she said.
Kate went on to say that she didn’t want to reply to trolls in the future and instead wanted to focus on followers who sent pleasant and compassionate words.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the time from the start of menopausal symptoms until after a woman has experienced her last period. Periods will usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. They might be more irregular and become heavier or lighter. For some women, they can stop suddenly.
Perimenopause and menopause are a natural part of a woman’s life course and usually occur between the ages 45 and 55 years of age, as a woman’s oestrogen levels drop (although it can start earlier). In the UK, the average age for a woman to reach menopause is 51.
Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.