Celia Walden

LUNCH DATE “I think the word ‘cougar’ is funny” So take that, tabloids! As smoky-voiced TV presenter Caroline Flack returns to The Xtra Factor, she tells Celia Walden about photo faces, two-day hangovers and (yep) Harry Styles aroline Flack is known for it was the right time for me to leave, too, Where Mildreds, many things: being the 45 Lexington Street, and then I thought: ‘No. I love this job.’ female face of The Xtra Soho, London CW You wanted Lily Allen on the panel, Factor, her perfect pins and, Caroline ate Vegan didn’t you? of course, that romance with sausage and mash, CF She would have been great, wouldn’t artichoke and aioli a certain 1Der. Over vegan bangers and she? I also thought Nicole from All Saints Celia ate Warm Cmash and ‘detox salads’, the 33 year old would have been great. [Wistfully] beetroot and goat’s talks ‘photo faces’, heartbreak and cheese detox salad I always wanted to be an All Saint. Still, turning down a million pounds to be I’m so excited about Sharon being back. the face of a cougar dating site. She’s so naughty… CW How do you get on with your new CW Hurrah: you’re back on The Xtra Factor! co-host, Matt Richardson? CF [Grinning] I know. Part of me CF He’s great. [Raising an eyebrow] PI had wondered when Olly [Murs] left, whether a lot of fun screen-testing all these Photographs by Ed Watts 000 LUNCH DATE O guys, and he’s totally different and all these guys came up with to Olly, which is good. He’s a baby, cameras. They said, “Will you just do too, so there’s a different kind of a walk for us up the beach and we’ll chemistry between us: instead go away?” I was like, “No way!” of all that flirting, it’s more like CW You look after yourself, though, he’s my geeky younger brother. don’t you? CW Was that flirting between CF I try to now. I was lucky when you and Olly real? I was younger, because I could eat CF [Laughing] It was! Olly was whatever I wanted and stay out until like a male me: a massive flirt. But 5am and my body wouldn’t really we never really took it any further change, but then you get to 30 and than that. – it’s not a myth! – you have two-day CW Do you think hangovers, and that burger you’re a good flirt? literally appears on your hips. CF I think it’s so fun So, lately, I’ve decided to be to flirt. You can be more aware of what I put in flirtatious with girls my body. And I’ve always had and boys. But I prefer a sort of inner sat-nav about the cheeky kind of when it’s time to stop drinking flirting to the and go home. seductive kind… CW [Smiling] What are CW [As our From top With the signs? Olly Murs; photographer takes aim] Oh – I should a blurry Twitter CF Double vision? That’s have checked. You don’t belong to the snap with usually a pointer… [bursts ‘Don’t photograph me while I’m eating’ Harry Styles out laughing]. But you know in 2011; her school of celebrities, do you? new work what the funny thing is? CF [Laughing] No – but I have learned partner, Matt When I was 25, I felt like to have a photo face [shows me Richardson I should be behaving like a magnificently photogenic pout]. a grown-up much more CW Tell me what they are. Now. than I do now. I mean, I have the CF Keep your lips slightly open (it’s “I love rest of my life to be old, don’t I? always nice to show that you have teeth). Photoshop. If CW You do. Turn slightly to the side, and sometimes CF Not that there aren’t things I probably cross the legs: it gives you shape. it gives you wouldn’t do these days, like go out in CW Did you see Gisele panning a bikini top and hotpants. I’d love to Photoshopping the other day? confidence, wear really sexy, figure-hugging clothes, CF Really? I love it. If I go to a photoshoot but I haven’t got the body for them. and I end up with no waist, there’s why not?” CW Really? I would have thought you nothing wrong with having it nipped in a have the perfect body for them. bit. If it gives you confidence, why not? CF Well, you’ve never seen my CW Do you feel under pressure to look body naked. good when you pop out to buy the papers CW No. We’ve only just met, so that these days? would be weird. CF [Frowning] I do. I never used to CF [Laughing] I’ve always known that put on make-up to leave the house, there’s stuff I can’t wear. You get but I would get so much criticism about someone like Cara Delevingne, though, the way I looked, so I had to start doing who I could wrap from head to toe in that. It’s about always being compared Sellotape and she would still look divine. to other women: one minute you’re thin, She’s also very friendly, and that makes one minute you’re fat. You never see the her more beautiful. [A drop of spit flies headline: Oh look, she’s normal. out of Caroline’s mouth and lands on the CW What about those beach paps buried With Sara table.] Did I just spit on the table? up to their necks in sand? Cox and CW Don’t worry. It was an homage Dawn O’Porter CF [Shuddering] Oh, they’re the worst. to Cara… P last year I was on the beach in Miami recently, CF [Laughing] I was going to say that 000 LUNCH DATE O I’m less self-conscious now than thing you’re not supposed to do I ever have been. That said, I think when we broke up: the crying, the maybe I’m more aware of my age begging, the sobbing, the pleading. than ever before. People have made But I think you have to go through me aware of my age. that once in your life. It took two CW Because of the whole you and years for me to get over it, but Harry [Styles] cougar thing? now I see him and it’s fine. CF [Grinning] I do think the word [Photographer crouches down ‘cougar’ is quite funny. I was once to take another photo] offered something ridiculous, like CF Why are you sticking your a million pounds, to be the face arm out like that? of cougarlife.com… CW To avoid ‘fat arm’, or ‘arm CW What on earth is CougarLife? cheese’ as Amanda Holden CF It’s an American website so charmingly calls it. where younger guys can find older CF Oh, and stick your throat out. women. When I checked out the I get loads of chins otherwise. site, I discovered that, at 31, CW I’ve never heard you say I was actually technically too young “Harry and anything bad about other women… to be a cougar. I never had CF I don’t like negativity on any level. CW Did Harry find all that funny? And I do feel like it’s a bit of a stereotype CF We weren’t bothered and his family a long-term that women are bitchy. That said, wasn’t bothered. But the thing about sometimes a girl needs to be bitchy unconventional relationships is that other future. It was to make her friends feel better. Like, people do seem to be bothered… just fun” if an ex-boyfriend has a new girlfriend, CW Did you have enough to talk about you absolutely have to say that she’s despite the age difference? nowhere near as pretty as your friend. CF Well, obviously we did. I mean, look, CW Of course. it was just really fun to hang out. CF But generally, I think women should CW Has it put you off going out with support each other. other famous people – given the amount CW Pet hates at the moment? of attention your relationship got? CF Mobile phones in general. When did it CF [With emphasis] Definitely not. I’m become acceptable to pick up your phone quite rebellious in that way. If a guy I was and check your emails in the middle of going out with said a skirt of mine was a conversation? Obviously, I do it, but too short, I would make it shorter. the other day my dad came over and he CW By that logic, you should now be sat there on his phone the whole time. dating Justin Bieber… CW What about Twitter abominations? CF I know, right? [Hands on hips] CF I don’t think people should ever CW Do you think it was the age gap Tweet anything too serious. Oh, and those that meant you and Harry didn’t have pictures in the mirror… [grimaces] a long-term future? CW What are those about? It’s always CF I don’t think we were ever going to Victoria’s Secret models… have a long-term future. [Shrugs] It was CF Maybe I’m just jealous of all those fun and it was hurting nobody… perfect bodies.

Load more