SHE shot to fame as the maths whizz on Countdown in the ’80s but telly stalwart Carol Vorderman has spent the past 40 years cementing herself as a beauty icon.
With her blonde curls, unmissable curves and skin that seems to glow from within, she also looks way younger than her age.
And at 64 years old, she isn’t just beautiful but also unafraid of speaking her mind, particularly when calling for government reform on X (formerly Twitter) almost daily.
This is something Carol has described “career suicide”, after her “strong beliefs” saw her axed from her presenting role at BBC Radio Wales in 2023, amidst claims that her tweets broke social media guidelines.
However, she refuses to give in to the backlash and continues to stay in the limelight looking more fabulous than ever – and there doesn’t appear to be an expensive age-defying magic potion in sight.
From a love of sprouts to non-monogamy, Fabulous investigates just how Miss Vorderman maintains her youthful glow.
A number of her secrets are surprising, and affordable…
It’s four years since Carol admitted to having a brussel sprout addiction – and the love affair is still going strong.
She Tweeted in January 2021: “Currently eating FOUR BAGS a week… #SproutAddiction. Love me, love my sprouts.”
Fast forward to September 2024, the mum-of-two revealed that she “generally carries a bag on her” at all times for quick snacking.
She hails their “nutty” flavour as “delicious” – and the rich nutritional profile might be why she’s ageing so gracefully.
Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin K, which can help improve skin elasticity by promoting the production of elastin, which is a protein that gives cells their elasticity and firmness.
The sunshine vitamin also plays a role in blood clotting and circulation, which may reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eyes.
Carol shot to fame as a mathematician on Channel 4 game show Countdown, but soon became a double winner of the long-retired Rear of the Year award, run by PR guru Anthony Edwards.
She scooped the gong in 2011 and then again in 2014, making her the first celebrity to win the award twice.
But how does she keep her Kardashian-esque figure in check in her sixties? “Lots of squats”, apparently.
In August last year, Carol told British Vogue that she sees a PT six times a week – but this has since dropped to three times a week after she developed a knee injury.
“I do three 45-minute sessions in the gym a week, which I love,” she told Saga magazine last month.
“Lots of squats for the bum.”
Alongside her brussel sprout addiction, Carol fuels her body with just one meal a day.
“I generally have one meal a day – late afternoon,” she famously said.
Also known as OMAD, the eating plan has soared in popularity as fans tout its ability to increase energy, aid weight loss and reduce risk of diabetes.
A quick Instagram search for #OMAD yields thousands of snaps of huge, colourful dinners and slimmer figures.
This extreme form of intermittent fasting can offer several potential anti-ageing benefits by promoting cellular repair and optimizing metabolic processes.
By extending the fasting window, OMAD may reduce oxidative stress, which is a major factor in the physical ageing process.
The key to Carol’s aura, she says, is not caring what others think of her – even when she’s “not happy” with herself.
“I’m not happy with my body now,” she told Saga. “My bum has dropped, I’m at the upper end of my weight.
“I haven’t been to the gym for months because I have had a knee issue; the oil around the joints went, so I’ve had two hyaluronic acid injections.”
My bum has dropped, I’m at the upper end of my weight. I don’t give a toss about what people say about how I look
Carol Vorderman
Despite being willingly self-critical, she doesn’t take mind of what trolls say, and added: “I don’t give a toss about what people say about how I look.
“I know who I am, I know what I stand for and I know what makes me happy.
“I’m also old enough to not care about what anyone else thinks of me.”
Back in 2022, Carol sensationally revealed that she’s turned her back on monogamy – and would rather have five “special friends” on the go at once.
She has been married twice; to Royal Navy officer Christopher Mather for 12 months when she was 24, and again to management consultant Patrick King in her thirties.
Carol welcomed two children with Patrick – research scientist Katie, 32, and writer Cameron, 27.
But when she hit her fifties, Carol decided to “have a number of special friends”, rather than spend her time looking for The One.
“You know, I don’t really want to marry again,” she revealed on This Morning in 2022.
“I don’t really want to live with a man again, and have to look after him all the time.
“But this is a time to break this nonsense taboo, which is that a person should only be looking for one other person that satisfies everything in their life.
“That’s hell.”
