Latest news with #TheGirlieShow
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Ex-Top of the Pops presenter walked away from fame as she shares heartbreaking fear
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Sarah Cawood was once one of the most prominent TV hosts of the 90s, and was a key presenter on Top of The Pops. But her life has changed dramatically two decades after her rise to fame. Sarah's first major break came in the '90s when she worked on children's TV for Nickelodeon. Two years later, she secured a presenting role on Channel 4's The Girlie Show, alongside Sara Cox. The show, which ran for two series, followed a magazine-style format, featuring interviews, live music, and stunts. The programme aired at the late 'post-pub' slot of 11pm on Fridays, positioning itself as edgier than its competitors and capitalising on the 'ladette' culture that defined the decade. Sarah then joined the revamped Live and Kicking programme for its final two years on air. (Image: BBC) Her most significant role came with Top of The Pops. After her tenure ended, she went on to present various mini-series and one-off shows, including co-commentating the Eurovision semi-finals in 2007, 2009, and 2010, reports the Daily Record. However, around this time, many of the high-profile presenting opportunities began to dwindle. In 2014, Sarah joined Heart East Anglia's breakfast show team for a year before stepping back to focus on caring for her children. Earlier this year, the star opened up about her health struggles on social media, expressing concerns about her breast cancer returning. She was initially diagnosed in 2022, underwent successful treatment, and was given the all-clear. (Image: sunday mirror) She opened up to her followers about the lingering anxiety of cancer returning. In an open Instagram message, she said: "This is the reality of anyone who has had any kind of cancer. "I never struggled with health anxiety before but post-breast cancer it's all-consuming and it wears me out a bit tbh. I have been feeling tired since the new year began and although it's probably just life-ing, there's always a niggling worry that it's back. "All I can do is carry on doing healthy things, moving my body, practising mindfulness and living each day with gratitude that I got to breathe again this morning. So on we go! Batting away those intrusive thoughts and getting on with it. (Image: ITV) "To anyone either going through a cancer diagnosis or anyone who has recovered from cancer and feels like this: I've got you, and my inbox is always open. And remember, anything that doesn't feel right: get it checked out. Early detection is key." She also took a moment to reflect on her career in television, saying she'd come to terms with no longer being in the limelight. In another heartfelt post, she remarked: "Do I miss telly? I miss the money! And yes, sometimes I wonder what went wrong, but I'm here now so I'm going to make the most of it, however, that looks".
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
BBC Top of the Pops presenter who was as famous as Zoe Ball on 'what went wrong'
Sarah Cawood was one of the biggest TV hosts of the '90s and a key presenter on Top of The Pops. But her life has changed dramatically two decades after her big break. Sarah's first major role was in children's television for Nickelodeon in the '90s, and just two years later she secured a presenting job on Channel 4's The Girlie Show alongside Sara Cox. The programme ran for two series and followed a magazine format, featuring interviews, live music and stunts. The show aired at the late 'post-pub' slot of 11pm on Fridays, aiming to be edgier than its competitors and capitalising on the 'ladette' culture that defined the decade. She then joined the revamped Live and Kicking programme for its final two years on air. Her most significant role came when she landed a spot on Top of The Pops. After her stint ended, she went on to present various mini-series and one-offs, including co-commentating the Eurovision semi-finals in 2007, 2009 and 2010. However, around this time, many of the big presenting opportunities began to dwindle, with Sarah joining Heart East Anglia's breakfast show team for a year in 2014 before leaving to focus on caring for her children, reports the Daily Record. In 2022 Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer - but thankfully she was treated and given the all-clear. Earlier this year, the star opened up about her health struggles on social media, expressing fears about her breast cancer returning. "This is the reality of anyone who has had any kind of cancer," she said. "I never struggled with health anxiety before but post-breast cancer it's all-consuming and it wears me out a bit tbh. "I have been feeling tired since the new year began and although it's probably just life-ing, there's always a niggling worry that it's back. "All I can do is carry on doing healthy things, moving my body, practising mindfulness and living each day with gratitude that I got to breathe again this morning. "So on we go! Batting away those intrusive thoughts and getting on with it. To anyone either going through a cancer diagnosis or anyone who has recovered from cancer and feels like this: I've got you, and my inbox is always open. "And remember, anything that doesn't feel right: get it checked out. Early detection is key." Reflecting on her television career in another heartfelt Instagram message, she shared insights into her acceptance of being 'unsuccessful' on TV, adding: "Do I miss telly? I miss the money! And yes, sometimes I wonder what went wrong, but I'm here now so I'm going to make the most of it, however, that looks".
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Top of the Pops presenter who was as famous as Zoe Ball on 'what went wrong'
Sarah Cawood was a regular face on our TV screens in the 1990s, but now she's living a very different life away from the cameras Sarah Cawood was one of the biggest TV hosts of the '90s and a key presenter on Top of The Pops. But her life has changed dramatically two decades after her big break. Sarah's first major role was in children's television for Nickelodeon in the '90s, and just two years later she secured a presenting job on Channel 4's The Girlie Show alongside Sara Cox. The programme ran for two series and followed a magazine format, featuring interviews, live music and stunts. The show aired at the late 'post-pub' slot of 11pm on Fridays, aiming to be edgier than its competitors and capitalising on the 'ladette' culture that defined the decade. She then joined the revamped Live and Kicking programme for its final two years on air. Her most significant role came when she landed a spot on Top of The Pops. After her stint ended, she went on to present various mini-series and one-offs, including co-commentating the Eurovision semi-finals in 2007, 2009 and 2010. However, around this time, many of the big presenting opportunities began to dwindle, with Sarah joining Heart East Anglia's breakfast show team for a year in 2014 before leaving to focus on caring for her children, reports the Daily Record. In 2022 Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer - but thankfully she was treated and given the all-clear. Earlier this year, the star opened up about her health struggles on social media, expressing fears about her breast cancer returning. "This is the reality of anyone who has had any kind of cancer," she said. "I never struggled with health anxiety before but post-breast cancer it's all-consuming and it wears me out a bit tbh. "I have been feeling tired since the new year began and although it's probably just life-ing, there's always a niggling worry that it's back. "All I can do is carry on doing healthy things, moving my body, practising mindfulness and living each day with gratitude that I got to breathe again this morning. "So on we go! Batting away those intrusive thoughts and getting on with it. To anyone either going through a cancer diagnosis or anyone who has recovered from cancer and feels like this: I've got you, and my inbox is always open. "And remember, anything that doesn't feel right: get it checked out. Early detection is key." Reflecting on her television career in another heartfelt Instagram message, she shared insights into her acceptance of being 'unsuccessful' on TV, adding: "Do I miss telly? I miss the money! And yes, sometimes I wonder what went wrong, but I'm here now so I'm going to make the most of it, however, that looks".
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'I was as famous as Zoe Ball and Sara Cox but then I was cut out of fame for no reason'
Former Top of Pops host and huge 90s presenter Sarah Cawood has a very different life 20 years on after 'TV gave up on here' One of the biggest TV hosts of the 90' s Sarah Cawood was one of the key Top of The Pops presenters as she rose to fame but 20 years after her big break her life looks very different. The former presenter got her first big break in the '90s working on kids TV for Nickelodeon and two years later she landed herself a job presenting Channel 4's The Girlie Show alongside Sara Cox. The show ran for two series and followed a magazine format, floating from features to interviews to live music and stunts. The show took the later 'post-pub' slot of 11pm on a Friday and was branded as being more edgy than its rivals and tried to cash in on the 'ladette' that swept through the decade. She then came aboard the revamped Live and Kicking programme for its final two years on the air. It was then she landed her biggest role on Top of The Pops. After her spell finished she would go on to present various mini-series and one offs including co-commentating the Eurovision semi-finals in 2007, 2009 and 2010. But it was around that time that many of the big presenting gigs dried up with Cawood joining the team for Heart East Anglia's breakfast show for a year in 2014 before leaving to focus on looking after her children. Earlier this year the star shared her health battle on social media after raising concerns about her breast cancer returning. She was initially diagnosed in 2022, received successful treatment and was given the all-clear. But posting to her fans she revealed the nerves of it coming back never left. In a candid Instagram post, she wrote: "This is the reality of anyone who has had any kind of cancer. I never struggled with health anxiety before but post-breast cancer it's all-consuming and it wears me out a bit tbh. "I have been feeling tired since the new year began and although it's probably just life-ing, there's always a niggling worry that it's back. "All I can do is carry on doing healthy things, moving my body, practising mindfulness and living each day with gratitude that I got to breathe again this morning. "So on we go! Batting away those intrusive thoughts and getting on with it. To anyone either going through a cancer diagnosis or anyone who has recovered from cancer and feels like this: I've got you, and my inbox is always open. "And remember, anything that doesn't feel right: get it checked out. Early detection is key." In her Instagram, she also shared with fans how she's made peace with being "unsuccessful" on TV. In another post, she added: "Do I miss telly? I miss the money! And yes, sometimes I wonder what went wrong, but I'm here now so I'm going to make the most of it, however, that looks
The Guardian
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Presenter Sara Cox looks back: ‘Clare and I met when we were teen models in Korea. I got sent home for bad behaviour'
Born in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in 1974, Sara Cox began her career as a model before becoming a presenter on Channel 4's The Girlie Show in 1996. In 2000, she took over BBC Radio 1's breakfast show, hosting for three years. She now presents for BBC Radio 2, fronted TV shows including Between the Covers, and has published two novels. Cox lives in London with her husband, Ben Cyzer, and three children. This month, she and her best friend Clare Hamilton launch Teen Commandments, a podcast about parenting adolescents. This was taken in Granada. We had ciggies on the go and decided to have a pamper session, but as we only had one face mask we had to rip it up and plonk on as many bits as we could. The rest of the day would have involved room service and a few hours of telly, specifically Jerry Springer and Montel Williams. Then we'd probably have ventured out to our plunge pool to do handstands. We were a couple of crackpots back then. Absolutely wild. I met Clare when we were teen models. That sounds glamorous, but only a small percentage of models make real money. The rest are girls like us trying to avoid going to university. At the time, my family lived above a pub in Bolton called The Pineapple. Mum was working every hour God sent, while I didn't lift a single finger. I was mainly lounging around going: 'I can't do the dishes! I've just painted my nails!' So when I was offered a five-month job in Korea, Mum's reaction was: 'Where do I sign?' I arrived in Seoul a few weeks before Clare, and had been hanging out with two Mormon girls from Hawaii. They were God-fearing and very different from the 17-year-old me, who was immersed in rave culture and mostly friends with lads. When Clare arrived I was thrilled. She's from Whitefield, down the road from Bolton, so as soon as I heard her accent I knew I'd be OK. I asked her two questions to pass the friendship test: 'Do you drink coffee, and do you smoke?' Thankfully, she answered yes to both. Meeting Clare was great for me, but not so much for the people who hired us. We did one shoot in a location that involved a long ride in a minibus. Everyone else fell asleep immediately; they were sensible and knew it would be nonstop work for 12 hours when we arrived. Meanwhile, we decided to stay up, laughing. We were exhausted for the shoot, and so giddy when we got back to the hotel that Clare was wearing my pants on her head and claiming she saw a ghost. In the end, I got sent back to Bolton for bad behaviour. I'd put on weight as I was eating a lot of comfort food, mainly hard-boiled eggs. I also missed a shoot because I was so hungover. Our hotel was next to an American army base, and me and Clare were drinking a lot with GIs. They loved a British accent – every time I went to light a cigarette, eight Zippos would get whipped out. The moral of this story isn't: 'Lose your job and get sent home.' But it kind of is, because when I got back to the UK I got a call asking if I wanted to go to a casting for The Girlie Show. I'd have missed it otherwise. Clare and I did all the award red carpets and film premieres together. I was asked to interview Eminem in New York, and, as record companies had loads of money back then, Clare was allowed to come with me. He was super-sweet and we even went to an Italian restaurant afterwards with his 20-strong entourage. When the bill came, they played credit-card roulette – we all threw our cards on to the table and whichever one the waitress picked would have to pay the whole lot. Me and Clare sat on our hands, terrified. Because we've lived far apart for decades we've had to make other friends. But Clare is my bestest friend, and bridesmaid, which makes me sound 11 years old and quite pathetic. I love her for lots of reasons: she is patient with me when I wang on, and I can be grumpy with her and know that she knows my bark is worse than my bite. Clare is also really badass – she brought up two little kids on her own and is one of the toughest people I know. Clare is my absolute soulmate. Sometimes my phone background is a photo of her in a Jacuzzi – as if she's my wife. In fact, don't ask me to choose between her and my husband, because it wouldn't be pretty. When we're together, we're the Sara and Clare club. Even now when she stays over and my husband comes in the room, we'll look at him like: 'Yeah, can we help you?' Not that he minds. He loves it when she's visiting. He gets a break from me. This was one of many brilliant holidays we've had together. The hotel was quite romantic and full of older couples; meanwhile, Sara and I were having margaritas at breakfast. I was 17 and had only been modelling for a few weeks when I was asked if I wanted to go to Seoul. Everything about Korea felt alien to me, so it was such a relief to hear Sara's voice shout 'Hullo!' from the steps of the apartment when I arrived. We were finishing each other's sentences straight away; already inseparable. The rest of our time there was a mix of homesickness and hysterics. I remember being measured and weighed all the time, but we were drinking a lot of Soju and partying. At breakfast they'd bring a bowl with a crab in broth and we'd have to eat it with chopsticks. To this day, we're both still quite handy with a pair. In the early days of Sara's career, we'd go to events and be the ones giggling in the corner, watching all the action happen. Then suddenly everyone wanted to speak to her. There was a big shift, but I loved getting a side seat to someone else's success. I got to do all the fun things without any of the pressure of having to be public-facing. In 1997, we went to the Batman and Robin premiere and wore matching dresses I got for my 21st birthday. They were quite low cut and I kept telling Sara to make sure everything stayed in place, but she obviously got distracted. In the end some guy tapped me on the shoulder and said: 'Sorry to bother you, but both of your boobs are out.' As well as the highs, Sara has supported me through some tough periods. It was a very dark time when I became a single mum: I had a baby and a two-year-old. As soon as the relationship ended, I shoved everything I owned in the boot in bin bags and drove straight to London. That's testament to our friendship. It could be 3am, and if I'm having a shitty time I know she'll be there. I can't imagine my life without Sara. A lot of people make friends for life at university, but we were on a dusty backstreet in Seoul. Not much has changed since – she is still hilarious, inspirational and selfless. And now the kids are teens, I can finally see holidays, talkshows and face masks back on our horizon.
