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Anna Williamson wants women to know your 40s are the best decade
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Jun 7, 2025
#AD Are your 40s the best decade? They say it’s when life gets richer - and maybe even a little sexier Anna Williamson joined Heart and Aviva UK to reflect on what really matters. Amid the chaos of work and family, she’s learning to slow down and be present. Because time is precious - and it’s the little moments that mean the most Subscribe for regular entertainment! http://bit.ly/1qyfc2T Watch videos in full + exclusives here: https://thisisheart.co/heartglobalplayer Honest Celebrity Interviews: https://thisisheart.co/honestinterviews Music Artists: https://thisisheart.co/3YVm8wN Film and TV Stars: https://thisisheart.co/filmandtv _ We're the UK's biggest commercial radio brand creating memorable moments with the most recognised names in entertainment!
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0:00
So who have you got today
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I've got my friend Anna Williamson. I have not seen her in ages, but she has just gone home with her career
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and I just can't wait to see who it is behind the scenes that's holding her
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Anna Williamson. Hello, friends. Hi, friend. Anna Whitehouse, the two AWs. My namesake
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We're back in it. We are. um so friends which you are yeah family colleagues everyone needs that kind of like support network
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around them especially doing what you do who is that one person who's got your back
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i have to heavily caveat this with i have excellent parents okay i'm very very
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hashtag blessed with my mum and dad um but she won't mind me saying this my dad
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in particular he has always been that one person that has just excelled at having my back with
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everything I do. I cry every time I hear someone talking about a dad. Do you know what I'm fine with
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you. You might need a Kleenex for this one. Yeah definitely. My mum and dad are remarkable people
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Anything that is good about me and I guess a person I am that shows up at work and within my
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family is absolutely as a result of my upbringing. You know, mum and dad, they are the kindest
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most wise human beings ever. But my dad in particular has always been my biggest cheerleader
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Probably why he's in the forefront of my mind now is that, you know, I'm 43. But since I was a kid
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I always wanted to be on the stage and probably quite honestly, I never quite talented enough
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to be on the stage. I beg to defer a friend. Well, you're very sweet, babes
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You're very sweet. But I did find myself, by design, on the biggest stage in London
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London Palladium last year as part of my Luana podcast. And my dad, who
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I think this is what got me and it really made me well up
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I know you're going to well up at this one. So my dad is nearly 80, right
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He rarely comes into London anymore, just because he lives his best retired life in his little orchard
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But I was doing this and he was like well I coming And I was like oh Dad I don think you be quite up for this content It basically a hen do and a riot mixed in And we walk out of a giant vagina for goodness sake
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I don't think this is quite your cup of tea. And he's like, I couldn't care less what it is
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He said, you're on the London Palladium. That's all you've ever wanted to do. My older brother bought him, bought him up
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He trotted along, got him a little front row seat. And I remember coming out onto London Palladium
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I'm saying, seeing my dad sitting in the little front row of the Royal Circle
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as proud as punch, couldn't have given a toss what the content was
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And he came round to the backstage afterwards and just, oh, I just love the emotion you showed for it
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I just love the emotion you feel for that, honey. Thank you. I think it's because you can see it's just those generations that have your back
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that are holding you. How have you kind of shown appreciation maybe to your dad
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for everything he's done to build you up? I speak to my dad every day
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I teach my parents every day. We're a very, very close family. When I got married myself and had children, and as you will know, you know, I have suffered a couple of spectacular mental breakdowns in my time
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The older I'm getting now, I think the more aware I am of time and borrowed time and mortality
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What I have done for my dad is make sure I show up for him. and as my parents are getting older they need me more you know I have brothers too who are
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pretty good to be fair actually for boys they're quite good actually but I show up for him and you
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know what I know for my dad what he loves more than anything in the world is being around his
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family so I make sure I carve out that time for my dad and that's not easy and as I say we're
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juggling work we're juggling having children but I know that that is the biggest currency that he
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has I think it is that just holding those that have held us absolutely and I think I don't know
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about you but I think the more as life goes on the more special and precious the simple things are
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how do you think your dad everything you've said about him is absolutely beautiful and it resonates
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deeply um how do you think he's shaped your life specifically morals kind of drive like
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how is he sort of punctuated I suppose where you got to he taught myself and my brothers you know about tenacity um always show up kind and grateful and curious Never get above your station
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He taught us, I think the phrase he always used, you know, the whole manners cost nothing but speak as comfortably to a duke
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as you would a dustman is what he used to sort of say. My dad used to say, have we got the same dad
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I think we've got the same dad by the sounds of it. But I think there's actually, there's no coincidence that we are a very similar people
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We vibe, you know, which is why everyone mistakes us for the same person wherever we walk around
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And I think, you know, that that is something that I'm sure you do with your children. But now something that I really am absolutely drilling into my children is just I think this world that we live in now as well, just the importance of showing kindness and reserving your judgment
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and both of my parents actually a huge lesson that they've taught me is to calm my any impulsiveness
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particularly when it comes to feeling cross about something or whatever it may be the importance of
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sleeping on it and the importance also which is difficult in the world that we live in and the
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job we do but actually sometimes my opinion isn't necessary and I think they very much taught me that
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have an opinion on something that you know something about and don't be afraid to sit
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back and not give that opinion if you don't need it because not everyone needs to hear it and I
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think that's what they have given me just that courage to be myself. I love that my dad also said
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don't have a best friend otherwise it makes everyone else feel excluded. It doesn't have
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to be advice from your dad but what's the kind of best piece of advice you've been given that you kind of hold to your core? Probably actually moving on to my mother really is the
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importance of silence sometimes of taking a pause with that in silence yeah it's too awkward it's
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too awkward also i don't do silence very well neither do i babe i don't do silence very well
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but it's a great skill it's a great skill and the irony is my mother talks more than i do i guess
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you know sometimes and i'm very aware of this as well being perimenopausal i'll be honest with you
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i can be a bit more irritable and irrational nowadays and i do find myself making a bigger
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deal of something that actually isn't a big deal. And I've learning the importance of catching
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myself in that moment and where my perhaps my little hot headedness can come in that I want to kind of call it out immediately I think that where that advice comes in on just sleep on it And actually yeah the next day I like yeah do you know what I actually okay about that
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I don't need to bring it up. And how sexy is accountability? I mean, it's taken me to 44
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You're 43, aren't you? Correct. I've taken you to 44 to be able to say sorry
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But it's... What a great trait. And mean it. But it is, you're right
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I don't know about you, Anna, but I am really enjoying being in my 40s
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I just feel there is a shift in, and it's not arrogance
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No. It's self-assuredness. My God, it feels sexy and good. And I'm okay with someone not liking me now
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I'm okay with having those big conversations. Which makes you more likable
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Well, I think it does, yeah. But I'm okay with having those big conversations
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As long as they're done in a cordial fashion, let's bring it on. And I think there's a real sexiness and strength in being able to do that
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And with friendships, you know, I have some really long, deep-rooted friendships that, you know, silliness happens
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Nothing necessarily to do with me, but I'm quite happy now to be that friend that will go
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look, you know what, let's work this out. Come on, it ain't that big a deal
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What I want to kind of get to today is kind of what's the most important thing to you right now
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We've spoken about your dad. We've spoken about your mum. You've got a prolific career. You've got wonderful children
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And obviously, I'm your best friend. So it's looking great. It's looking great. Quite honestly, good for us, babe
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If you could sort of ensure one thing in this moment, right here, right now, what would it be
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I would say quality time. I'm going to cry again. I know you're going to cry again
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I see people that have gone now. You see with friends as well who are experiencing loss
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It's just an inevitable part of life, unfortunately. And I think that's what's really shifted for me now
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is very much the health is wealth and quality time. It's something that is priceless
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I love you. I love you. Thank you so much, Anna Williamson
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Thank you. You do everything. And thank you, Heart and Aviva, for, I was going to say, getting to the heart of the issue
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Absolutely. But that's a terrible pun. So we'll leave on that note. It's one that I think is genius
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You are my best friend, even though my dad said I shouldn't have any. Done
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