Kim Wilde's not-so-wild life at 64: Kids In America hitmaker adopts healthy diet, is a trained horticulturist and enjoys cold water plunges in far cry from her naked rock star days

Daily Mail​

a day ago

She used to tour around the world with Michael Jackson and David Bowie, consumed by a life of hedonism - but Kim Wilde 's life at 64 years old is... not so wild.
In a far cry from her naked rock star days, the Kids In America hitmaker has traded the booze and parties for a life of gardening, healthy eating and cold plunges.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Kim spoke about how her life has changed in the years since she was a travelling rock star.
Kim trained as a horticulturist at Capel Manor College in Enfield years ago to learn how to make a garden for her children - and was later invited as a celebrity by Channel 4 to act as a designer for their programme Better Gardens. 'After winter I'm desperate for light, so I'll often be found wandering in my garden before 7am — I don't want to miss anything coming back to life,' she said.
And recently she's developed a passion for cold plunges, which she takes in her own pool in her specially cultivated garden.
Another way Kim's life has changed is her diet, gone are the days of fast food and booze - with the star sober for a decade and adopting a 'healthier' approach to eating.
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She has welcomed in a breakfast of scrambled eggs and spinach with a side of nuts and fruit.
And lunch consists of things like hummus, fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese. 'Occasionally M&S sourdough,' she adds.
Speaking about her cold plunging, Kim said: 'People say I look good for my age — it's all smoke and mirrors but I do jump in the cold pool in my garden every day with my mate Sue.'
It's in stark contrast to her touring days of the eighties and nineties, with the 'post-show hedonism' a thing of the past.
However she did regale one of her wildest stories from touring, as she said: 'I once ended up naked in a hotel corridor after a big knees-up: I snuck out of my room in the night and the door shut behind me.
'I had to slink down to the lobby to ask for a spare key, which was mortifying.'
Kim's career has been a whirlwind journey through music, TV, and gardening, marked by reinvention and enduring popularity.
Her international anthem and debut single, Kids In America was the work of her brother Ricky and dad, original British rock 'n' roller Marty Wilde.
It became a defining anthem of the '80s and at one stage she was shifting 60,000 copies a day.
She had seven more Top Ten singles in the UK but never a number one, however her reworking of the Motown classic You Keep Me Hangin' On, which topped the US Billboard chart in 1986.
During this time she released her self-titled debut album, Kim Wilde, which included hits like Chequered Love and established her as a new pop sensation.
She went on to release an array of albums which saw even more success after she released Another Step, which included the global hit You Keep Me Hangin' On - a cover of The Supremes' classic that topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
In 1987 Michael Jackson invited Kim to join him on his Bad tour and open 33 shows across Europe and the UK. She observed a superstar alone in his own universe.
Two years after the tour, her own world came crashing down the day after her 30th birthday, when it dawned that her time as a pop phenomenon might be over.
After a few years of focusing on her personal life, Kim transitioned to television, becoming a popular presenter and personality in the UK.
And in 2000, she discovered a passion for gardening and authored several books.
She also became a regular presenter on gardening shows, bringing her knowledge and enthusiasm to a new audience and connecting with her old die-hard fans in a new way.
In 2006, she made a successful return to music with the album Never Say Never, which featured reworked versions of her classic hits and new material.
This marked a resurgence in her musical career.
And in 2021 she released Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits, a comprehensive collection of her biggest hits, celebrating her four decades in the music industry.
Throughout her career, Kim has remained a beloved figure in pop culture, known for her distinctive voice, style, and ability to adapt to new trends while maintaining her unique identity.
In 2022 she revealed she split from and subsequently divorced her husband Hal Fowler in 2021.
The singer married writer and actor Hal, 56, in 1996 after the former couple met while appearing in rock opera Tommy.
They married within six months of meeting each other and had two children, Harry, now 24, and Rose, now 22, together.
A joint statement posted to Kim's Twitter page read: 'Kim Wilde and Hal Fowler wish to announce that they amicably separated by agreement last year and have divorced.
'No third party is involved. They remain on good terms and wish only the best for each other in the next phases of their lives. No further comment or statements will be made.'