Tess Daly, 51, admits she is ‘less obsessed’ with her looks now she’s older

Tess Daly is ‘less obsessed’ with her looks since hitting 50 and feels ‘grateful’ to her body for giving her healthy children and a long career.

The Strictly presenter, 51, told MailOnline she’s regularly confronted by signs of ageing, such as wrinkles and grey hairs but she refuses to ‘beat herself up’ over things she can’t change.

In an exclusive interview, Tess modestly admitted ‘good lights and a hair and make-up team’ are behind her flawless appearance – but credited her fast metabolism, yoga and drive to succeed as the secret behind her ageless beauty. 

She told MailOnline: ‘With my physical self I refuse to beat myself up about things I can’t change.

‘Working in the media, on camera, you could become obsessed with your appearance and how you look. But I have tended to go the other way and I have become less obsessed as I get older.

‘Number one, I am grateful for a healthy body that has put me in good stead this far and given me two healthy children and a long career doing what I love, I am grateful for that.

‘I try not to dwell on the negatives. I look in the mirror and see new lines every day, I’ll see the odd grey hair – but this is life. I tend to try and not dwell and beat myself up about what I can’t change and rather focus on what I am grateful for.’

Tess, who co-hosts Strictly alongside Claudia Winkleman, 48, insists she has her glam squad to thank for her immaculate look on the show each week.

She said: ‘It’s probably very good lights and a very good hair and makeup team that has an awful lot to do with it!

‘I lived in trainers since March like everybody else and just to dust off the heels and put them on.

‘I won’t lie, it was a shock to the system when you’ve lived in flats and suddenly you’re in a high heel running across the floor for two hours on a live TV show. It engaged a new set of muscles I had forgotten about!

‘It was great fun and it was brilliant doing the show this year. It felt like a privilege just to be there and get the show on air because there were many moments we felt we might not make it.’ 

You’d be hard pressed to look at Tess without wondering momentarily what her secret is to achieving ageless beauty.

But it doesn’t come from sheer luck, as she works out with a personal trainer every week, partakes in daily yoga classes, has a healthy diet and keeps her mind active with the prospect of new goals and business ideas.

She explained: ‘I rarely sit still. I am one of those people who is constantly on the go, so whether or not that’s a fast metabolism or wanting to get things done, I am not busy for the sake of it but I like to keep myself mentally and physically stimulated.

‘For me personally, I do an online yoga class every morning, 20 minutes, which is a little act of self-love as well. 

‘A game changer for me has been doing yoga. It keeps you young, it keeps you flexible, it keeps away the aches and pains – and it’s free online on YouTube!

‘I have been into fitness for quite a while and I work out a couple of times a week, an online session with a trainer and that’s great because it strengthens your body physically but mentally, as well as physically keeping your flexible, yoga is brilliant because it forces you into the moment. In the moment there is no anxiety and uncertainty.

‘I set myself goals, whether that is launching a new business, I have a very entrepreneurial side and I am obsessed with that. 

‘I read every book, I listen to every audio book while I’m driving from entrepreneurs and people that have inspired me in life, and so I am constantly trying to educate myself through other people’s success stories.’ 

Tess, who’s married to fellow presenter and I’m A Celeb star Vernon Kay, 46, and is a mum to daughters, Phoebe, 16, and Amber, 11, has collaborated with yoghurt brand Activia as she focuses on her gut health to further improve her overall wellbeing. 

Tess is doing the brand’s 14-day Happy Gut Happy You Challenge that aims to get the nation loving their bodies this January.

She said: ‘As we have realised, health is our most precious commodity and Activia’s Happy You Happy Gut challenge speaks to me on every level because that’s the lifestyle I live and promote in my home and I am fanatical about it. 

‘For as long as I can remember I have been obsessed with gut health. That’s my jam it’s what I bang on about at home with the kids. It begins with wellbeing and boosting your immunity has never been more important than it is currently.

‘Everything begins with your gut, it governs our entire wellbeing and if our gut is unhappy, so are we. 

‘That mind/gut connection is real. Serotonin, the happy hormone, is made in the stomach.

‘If you gut is unhappy and the bacteria are not balanced, you’re not going to feel your happiness and produce serotonin. I’m a bit hormone obsessed!’

While Tess lives by a healthy eating regime and nurtures her family into doing the same, she still allows herself the odd chocolate treat and confesses to have a ‘tuck drawer’ full of indulgent snacks.

She said: ‘For me, food is sugar fuel. We either use it or abuse it. 

‘I will not pretend to be some kind of dietary saint, yes I love chocolate and I have a sweet tooth and no afternoon is complete without sitting down with a cup of tea and a sweet treat.

‘But the meals I cook for my family, they’re healthy, whole foods, gut friendly, vegetable rich, protein balanced meals. I am into that and I love cooking. 

‘Yes, we have a tuck drawer during home schooling full of treats, which they’re allowed one off towards the end of the day when they’ve done seven hours of online schooling, they deserve a treat. 

‘But treats aside, we eat healthily as a family and I enjoy creating those healthy meals.’

• Tess Daly has partnered with Activia to support its 14-day #ActiviaChallenge, where alongside focusing on their gut health, participants are being encouraged to do other small things that help make them feel good. To take part visit the Activia website