THEY won each other’s hearts as well as those of the nation when they found love last year on television.
My Mum, Your Dad’s Roger Hawes and Janey Smith are stronger than ever almost a year on from their first meeting on ITV’s latest reality romance show.
Now the couple intend to return to where it all began to mark their milestone first anniversary on May 15.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun in collaboration with fashion brand JD Williams, they revealed what celebrations lie in store.
Janey, 48 said: “I can’t believe it’s been a year. We still feel like there’s so much ahead for us as a couple.”
Roger, 59, said: “We’re still basking in it. We’re thinking of actually going back to where they filmed it, just stop and have a walk around the village. On one of the episodes it showed where we had this first kiss, where we had a helicopter ride, we’re thinking of going back and having a walk through the village and looking where it all happened.”
Janey, 48, added: “It’s near Midhurst, West Sussex, which is 20 minutes from my house. So we’re going to go and book somewhere and stay there.”
When asked if wedding bells might be on the horizon, Roger joked: “Janey’s looking at me and giving me this look there… but no, we’ve got like three holidays coming up where we’re going away, and yeah, who knows, but I haven’t popped the question as yet.”
Janey said: “No, and people always seem to think, ‘oh, it’s Janey that wants all of this’, but it’s not. It’s because I’ve never been married, do you know what I mean? I’ve never been married, so it’s something I would always like. I always imagined that would have happened, you know. I just got to 48, and it hasn’t happened, so yeah, we’re just enjoying ourselves at the moment.”
Roger coyly added: “Yeah, well, you’re 50, you might make it.”
Later this year a new collection of single parents will be brought together under the watchful eye of their children for series two.
There’s been whispers of difficulties finding single dad’s for the next instalment. When asked why he thought that might be, Roger said: “Things just aligned for me, for my daughter to put me forward to.
“I think you’ve got to have kids at the right age and I think when you go on a lot of dating sites, there’s always, I could be wrong, I think there’s a lot more women go on these sites. So, I don’t know why… they might just be struggling to get somebody as good looking as me [laughs].”
Janey said: “I think women can be a bit more good at talking about their feelings. They’re a bit more open and chatty. So they might not be as scared to go in for something that what could be quite an emotional journey.
“Whereas men sometimes aren’t as well known for opening up and it might put them off. Maybe it’s that, but I just think you just have to go for it, don’t you? You’re going to be meeting people in a safe background and you’re going to get a chance to get to know them.”
It’s been a whirlwind year since series one aired in September.
I can’t believe it’s been a year. We still feel like there’s so much ahead for us as a couple
Janey Smith
The Davina McCall fronted show has been nominated for a Bafta in the reality and constructed factual category alongside Netflix‘s Squid Game and E4‘s Married At First Sight among others.
EYE FOR FASHION
In demand Janey and Roger have become part of the This Morning family, visiting exotic locations for travel segments, and the attractive couple have also been signed up as the face of JD Williams’ Passion has no age limit campaign.
It features a stylish date night collection that aims to empower middle-aged women and make them feel sexier.
One of the items from the range is a slinky £22 Ann Summers Cerise Satin Cami Set.
It’s something Janey is all too happy to wear and feels comfortable in.
She said: “We’re slightly older now, and you are what you are. I’m a dress size like 12 to 14. I’m five foot 10. I’m not a size zero model by any standards.
“And the thing about JD Williams is to be able to just sit there being not a typical model size, wearing something and feeling good in it, it’s brilliant.
“And that’s the message that I’d like to get across. At the end of the day, you know, you make the most of what you have. And body confidence, it does come from your mindset.
“I dress for myself. I was single for a long time, I always dressed for myself. Roger’s always very complimentary towards me and that’s all that matters.”
MUSIC CAREER
While she may be body confident, Janey admitted her time on TV dented her self-esteem when it came to her career as a professional singer.
She became wary of showcasing her vocal talents in case people accused her of doing the show to boost her career.
The reality is she’s been singing for more than three decades and put in plenty of hard graft along the way.
She said: “I always sang professionally since I was 15, really, and I still do sing. I’m going to go and start writing some of my own material again and get myself out gigging, because, oddly enough, I lost some confidence since this came out.
“I used to sing to sold-out theatres all over the country, and then I went on TV, and it was just quite daunting, and I didn’t want to be judged, and I didn’t want people to think, ‘oh, now she’s singing’.
“It was just a case of finding my mojo again, and I miss it, so I’m going to get back into my singing.”
Though she has entered big talent shows in the past, Janey has always been more committed to growing her career organically.
“I built myself a career from hard graft,” she said. “I used to have to flyer towns, I would phone up the theatres, get our band in there, do all the promotion, market it, everything, because when you’re self-employed and that’s what you do, that’s how it works.
“Not many people get shot to fame from a reality show from singing overnight, but you know, there’s lots of people in my situation that just do it for a living.”
Roger added: “But again, if Royal London Palladium is available, she will do it.”
JD Williams is the ultimate fashion brand catering to women aged 45 and over that offers a wide range of on-trend products available in sizes 8-32. In addition to empowering and educating midlife women through fashion, the brand delivers the message that style knows no age limits.
