'Exercise helps with my mental health as well as physical'

Sports presenter Gabby Logan marks Menopause Awareness Month with a midlife fitness campaign

- KENZI DEVINE

With decades of experience under her belt, you could argue that sports pundit Gabby Logan was already at the top of her game. But since becoming one of the main presenters of Match Of The Day, her career has reached new heights.

It comes at a pivotal moment in the 52-year-old's life, as Gabby tells us she's coping with her children flying the nest and adjusting to the feeling of having more “me” time.

“I've definitely taken things on recently that I wouldn't have done before - I've said yes to more things,” says the former gymnast, who has 20-year-old twins Reuben and Lois with her husband of 24 years, Kenny Logan.

“That's the thing with this period of life, you have a bit more flexibility. It's balancing those things and seeing some of the positives that can come out of your kids growing up. You have more time to spend on yourselves. I feel like people, women particularly, don't do self-care very well when their kids are young, because you haven't got the time.

“That's a benefit I'm finding. I would probably not have worked as much on weekends when they were younger. You know, I did consider that quite a lot with things that I was offered to do, before. And now I've got more flexibility to do what I want to do, so it's... strange,” admits Gabby.

Following in their parents' sports-loving footsteps, Reuben is a professional Rugby Union player for Northampton Saints, and Lois is a show jumper, while studying at university. And Gabby says the empty nest is still taking some time to get her head around.

“It is a challenge. You love their company and want to do things with them. You really miss them as people more than anything. And the house feels quieter. But then the pros are that the house has less washing,” she laughs.