In an exclusive interview with HELLO! magazine, television presenter Anna Richardson has revealed that she wants to foster or adopt a child.
The host of The Fantastical Factory of Curious Craft tells the magazine that her upcoming 50th birthday has helped her make up her mind. And she says she is making the decision independently from her girlfriend, former The Great British Bake Off co-host Sue Perkins. "For some time I've toyed with the idea of fostering or adopting a child," Anna, who has been in a relationship with Sue since 2014 and shares a London house with her, says. "I can only speak for myself, not Sue, but I really want to do the training [to foster] and welcome a child into my life."
"I feel keenly that I'm getting older, that time is running out," adds Anna, who turns 50 in September. "With the Covid-19 pandemic on top of this, it's focused my mind on the things I still want to do.
Anna Richardson with partner Sue Perkins
"I didn't have children and there's something seismic about your fertility coming to an end with the menopause, which I'm now going through. You suddenly think: 'But I still have this desire to look after someone, to make a difference to a child who perhaps didn't have the same opportunities as me.' So I'm keen to explore that."
Anna says life in lockdown with Sue "consists of manic activity followed by deep slumber". She adds: "We've taken up online poker with friends, and enjoy cooking and crafting. Sue’s a fantastic cook and her vegetarian curries are legendary.
"She's showed me how to knit, too. While I make a chunky pink scarf, she crochets a baby blanket for a friend. It's like going back to the 1950s where we're at home cooking, gardening and making things."