Hits Radio Breakfast Show presenter Fleur East hosts a special International Women’s Day documentary which is available exclusively on the Rayo app.
Fleur talks to member of The Saturdays Frankie Bridge, executive producer Lydia Athey and food writer Melissa Helmsley about the challenges they’ve faced as women and the impact it’s had on them personally and professionally.
The documentary is a partnership with The King’s Trust campaign Change a Girl’s Life, which aims to give young women in the UK a working future.
During the conversation, Frankie Bridge opens up about life in the Saturday’s, having a breakdown at the age of 21 and why society thinks stay at home husband Wayne is a hero.
Talking about being in The Saturdays, she says: “We’d work 17-hour days, we had someone who we work with tell us that eating wasn’t a priority we had to get the interviews done.
“I reached breaking point just before a tour and…. had a breakdown at the age of 21 but [going into hospital] was the safest I ever felt.
“I still look at it now as a positive because it forced me to have to be honest with people [including the press] and I did that because everyone assumed I’d gone into hospital for an addiction or an eating disorder.”
On being a mum, Frankie says she was recently on holiday with a friend and people were asking how their husbands felt about them being away from home and how their kids feel about it?
“I said to Wayne ‘when you went snowboarding did anyone ask you about the kids or how I felt about you being away?’ and he said ‘no, not once’,” she adds.
As for parenting double standards she reveals: “My husband is retired and let me tell you everyone thinks he’s a hero!
“And he is great – he does school drop off, rings the mums to organise play dates but I’m still doing all the admin… they’ve got PE today, they need a packed lunch, it’s this person’s party and I’ve got them a present. But why does he get applauded for all the things that I do every day as well?!”
Change A Girl’s Life is available now exclusively on Rayo.
