'I've no intention of GROWING UP'

As the photographer plots his next set of pictures, Lorraine Kelly takes a sip of water and has a brief glance at her phone.
'Ah! I've had a message from Chris Hoy,' she announces, unable to contain her enthusiasm for an invitation from the six-time Olympic cycling champion to a summer fundraising event in Dundee.
'He had me at "are you free?"," sighs Lorraine, promptly confirming her availability with her manager before replying to the fellow Scot, who last October revealed that he is living with incurable prostate cancer. Two months later, the dad-of-two appeared on Lorraine's ITV daytime show to share his story.
'That man, he's just positivity,' continues Lorraine later when - photo shoot over - we pile on to an oversized navy sofa and put the world to rights. 'I was near tears talking to him because he's lovely and he doesn't deserve this. He's a man on a mission to make all men check their prostate. What an incredible person.'
Lorraine's ability to connect deeply with everyone she meets is her superpower. Call it motherliness, Scottish charm or human kindness, but it's one reason why 1.1 million viewers tune in daily to her show. She's also an industry stalwart, having clocked up more than 40 years in television - an achievement celebrated last May when she received one of BAFTA's highest honours for her outstanding contribution to television.
Opinionated and curious, today at our location house near to Lorraine's Buckinghamshire home, she delves into a wealth of hot topics, including Trump, cancel culture and calling out inappropriate behaviour in the TV industry. She also discusses renewing her marriage vows to retired cameraman husband Steve Smith, her 30-year-old journalist daughter Rosie's upcoming wedding to fiancé Steve White, 30, and becoming 'Granny Smith' after the arrival of baby Billie last August.
Following the release of her Sunday Times bestselling debut novel The Island Swimmer last year, Lorraine, 65, is now gearing up to release her second book and-sharing the news for the first time - has been signed to pen two more novels after that. Looks like our daytime telly queen's future is written in the stars.
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I was so lucky with my first book.
Everybody loved it. It went to number two in the great big Sunday Times chart, which is extraordinary. There are no expectations for the first one, but with the second [which Lorraine finished in January), there's more pressure.
I said to Marian Keyes, 'I'm having bother with the second book,' and she said, 'Good. That means you're a real writer. Just give it time.' I thought that was very wise. I'm now really happy with the second book and I've signed up for another two! I love the process of writing at length. I've written columns and opinion pieces and articles, but the creative process of writing a book is so satisfying.
Billie is the light of my life. She looks so like Rosie and I keep seeing echoes of people in her, including my gran and Steve's sister, Margaret, who's no longer with us. When Billie smiles, I'm like, Bly hl, that's Margaret!"
I really miss Billie when I'm not with her. They're an hour away lin north London), and I babysit as often as I can, but I don't interfere. I'm just there. I love the fact that I'm Granny Smith! The lovely Mark Hayes wanted to get me a present for being a granny, which was so kind, and he got me a tiny Granny Smith apple tree. I've got it in the garden.
I said to Rosie, 'Have six months of just being with Billie, because one of the biggest regrets was that I didn't have that with you.' When Rosie was weeks old, I got a call saying that I wasn't being asked back to GMTV, which was a huge blow because it was right out of the blue. I had a very worrying time. Steve and I had a new baby and a massive mortgage. It was hard.
I feel very privileged that I'm getting that experience again with Billie. She's like a mini Rosie and it 100% takes me back to that time.
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I'm a mischievous granny. As Billie gets older, we'll get up to all sorts of nonsense. I want to take Billie travelling everywhere on adventures, like to see the penguins [in Antarctica).
When you're a grandparent, you see the world through their wee eyes and rediscover everything. You've also got all the love without the fear. That's not to say that when Billie was getting her vaccinations or when Rosie went in for a caesarean I wasn't worried. She said, 'I'm going in at 5pm,' then somebody came in before her as an emergency so we had two hours of 'Ahhh! We've not heard anything!' because she didn't have her phone with her. It was the longest two hours my life.
Not presenting on Fridays gives me a chance to breathe and brings me in line with everyone else. Phil and Holly used to do four days, lovely Ben and Cat do four. Susanna does four and three.
I wasn't sure about it at first because I've been working five days a week for 40 years. It was a wee bit of a wrench. Sometimes you've just got to take a step back in order to appreciate what you've got, and it has certainly made life a lot easier with my mum not being well. She has this horrible kidney problem, but is doing OK now. As far as looking after her goes, also with Billie and then the writing, it has been a good change.
I couldn't give up the show because I love it - honestly, I'd do it until I was 95! When you're lucky enough to skip to your work-without sounding like Snow White-why would I not?
At the start I was quite nervous, but I don't get anxious any more because! think, 'This person is coming to talk to me. It's my job to make them look the best we possibly can.' It doesn't matter whether you're Meryl Streep or a wee lady who's done an amazing thing.
Of course, there have been storms along the way and so many regime changes, but I feel as if we're in a really good place. The show's doing really well.
Receiving a lifetime BAFTA award was an out-of-body experience. I don't remember gettin...