Penny Lancaster has opened up about how she suffered with going through menopause and how she was misdiagnosed with depression – but it was her husband and singer Rod Stewart who got her back to feeling her glamourous self.
The model, broadcaster and special police constable was just 49 years old when she began getting symptoms of menopause, soon after she, Stewart and their two sons, Alastair and Aiden, had moved to Florida in early March 2020.
During the time her symptoms began, rumours of the first Covid lockdown started swirling and said: “I found that one night after another, I was waking up, sweating head to toe.”
At the time, the police constable thought she was too young to be going through menopause and was later misdiagnosed with depression – something she noted made her feel “numb” whilst on medication.
Lancaster recently spoke to The Times about her experience and recalled that Stewart was the one – who always makes her feel glamorous – hinted that she had put weight on during her HRT treatment.
She said: “There are very glamorous moments. But I lost it for a bit. I put on weight; my husband would say it was a very sensitive subject.
Penny opened up about her time going through menopause
ITV
“He didn’t want to say, ‘Do you really need that second portion?’ or ‘Do you want that whole bowl or do you want to just break off a little square or two?’.
“But he was thinking it. He might have hinted. My friends say I’ve got my sparkle back.”
The candid update comes after the Maggie May hitmaker, 79, shared a sweet snap on his Instagram story of himself and Lancaster, on their 17th wedding anniversary.
In the now deleted post by their son Alastair’s girlfriend, Eloise Darlington, the caption – according to the Express – read: “Celebrating 17 years of love,” and showed the singer crouched behind his wife, who was seated in a chair.
Penny first noticed the symptoms when she and Rod moved to Florida
GETTY
Stewart – who married Lancaster on June 16, 2007 – reposted the image and noted: “25 years together and no red flags.”
The Sailing singer previously recalled their first interaction, and told PEOPLE magazine in 2021: “Rachel broke up with me on a Monday evening, and it was heartbreaking. No one leaves Rod!
“But that Saturday night, I met Penny at the Dorchester Hotel in London. The bass player in my band, Carmine, said, ‘Listen, you’ve just come out of a long nine-year marriage. You’re not ready yet’.
“I nearly strangled him! Six months later, he gave me her phone number and she came over. She has mended my heart in more ways than one.”
Rod and Penny got married in 2007 and have two children together
GETTY
Stewart was recently booed at one of his concerts in Germany after he showed support to Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy due to the ongoing war.
Ever since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, Stewart has made his criticism of Vladimir Putin and the war extremely clear and sang his 1991 hit Rhythm Of My Heart – which he calls a war song and has dedicated to Kyiv in recent shows.
Photos of Ukraine’s Zelenskyy were shown as well as the Ukrainian flag, which soon promoted boos and jeering from the audience.
Stewart issued a staunch response to the jeers and told PA News: “I have supported the Ukrainian people throughout this war. From arranging for members of my family to take supplies to the country, to renting a house in the UK for a Ukrainian family.
“So yes, I do support Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, and I will continue to do so. Putin must be stopped. I’m having the time of my life playing for German audiences, sharing some special memories, and I’m looking forward to playing my remaining dates here.”