Born in Essex, Penny Lancaster, 54, worked as a model before becoming a professional photographer. In 2019, she featured in the Channel 4 series Famous and Fighting Crime, and in 2021 she took her oath to serve as a special constable in the City of London police. Since 2014, she has been an occasional panellist on Loose Women. Her memoir, Someone Like Me, has just been published. She has two sons with her husband, the singer Rod Stewart, and lives in Essex.
What is your greatest fear?
It was reading out loud, but no longer. (I am dyslexic.) I was encouraged by my husband to do a speech for the Royal National Institute of Blind People, which helped me gain my confidence, and the fear disappeared.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I’m a bit of a hoarder.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Lack of empathy.
What is your most treasured possession?
A card my boys and my husband made. On the front it says: “The handmade card Mummy always wanted.”
Describe yourself in three words
Honest, empathetic, daring.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My sun-damaged chest.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
Our dog Bubbles.
What is your most unappealing habit?
Putting too much food in my mouth, eating too quickly.
Who is your celebrity crush?
Anthony Hopkins.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
An English teacher said, “You’ll never make anything of yourself.”
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband.
Have you ever said ‘I love you’ and not meant it?
Yes, millions of times.
Which living person do you most despise, and why?
The president of America – he doesn’t speak the truth.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Beautiful.
What is the worst job you’ve done?
Clearing up someone’s sick – it was on police duty.
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What has been your biggest disappointment?
Trusting someone and being let down.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I would be less naive.
If not yourself, who would you most like to be?
The first female pilot to navigate the Atlantic, Amelia Earhart.
What is the closest you’ve come to death?
In a different sense, I’ve helped to try to resuscitate a dead man.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Less time on my phone.
What has been your closest brush with the law?
My weekly night duty as a special.
What keeps you awake at night?
The children. As a mother you are constantly worrying whether you’ve done the right thing.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Be honest.
Tell us a secret
I love painting watercolours.