Lisa Faulkner previously opened up about her “biggest health obstacle”, revealing it was overcoming infertility.
The actress and presenter is a mum to daughter Billie, who she adopted with ex-husband Chris Coghill. She is now a stepmum to husband John Torode’s four children from previous marriages.
However, over the years, Lisa – who is on John and Lisa’s Christmas Kitchen today (December 14) – has been open about her infertility struggles.
Lisa Faulkner on ‘biggest health obstacle’
Former Holby City actress Lisa married ex-EastEnders star Chris Coghill in 2005. They adopted daughter Billie in 2008 after unsuccessful fertility treatment. However, the couple divorced in 2011.
Talking in 2023, Lisa reflected on her infertility struggles. She told Top Sante: “The biggest health obstacle I’ve overcome is infertility.
“After three rounds of failed IVF and an ectopic pregnancy, unexplained infertility was a difficult, horrible place where I thought, is this going to happen? Is it not? Can I do anything more than what I am doing? It took me a long time to make peace with it.”
‘The feelings of failure are huge’
The TV star went on try and reassure other individuals struggling with fertility. She said: “My advice is to be kind to yourself. Each time, whether you miscarry or you can’t get pregnant, there is a pressure to be invincible, to get up and go, I can deal with this. I can start again. In those scenarios, we’re a ticking time bomb, so although the clock is ticking, put a pillow over the clock to allow yourself time to recover before trying again. Most women feel we’re put on Earth to reproduce, so when you’re not able to do that, the feelings of failure are huge.”
Lisa on going through IVF
Meanwhile, in 2024, Lisa revealed that going through IVF left her feeling “really lonely”.
On battling infertility, Lisa told Good Housekeeping: “Those years were a very dark time. One minute I wasn’t that bothered about kids, and then something happened overnight, and I wanted a baby so badly.
“All my peers were trying at the same time, so it was like we were swimming in the same pool, but they kept getting pregnant and climbing out until, eventually, I was still swimming in there alone. It was really lonely.
“When people would tell me they were pregnant I’d try to be fine, but I’d go home and be full of shame, anger and sadness. When I had IVF, it was with an amazing doctor with whom nine out of 10 patients got pregnant – and I was the one in 10 who didn’t. I thought: ‘Why me?’ It was exhausting.”
Watch John and Lisa’s Christmas Kitchen on Sunday (December 14) at 1:00pm on ITV1.
Read more: John Torode on being hospitalised after horror accident that wife Lisa Faulkner witnessed
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