Abbey Clancy is battling a “shocking” case of the flu when OK! dials in for an exclusive chat with the model, presenter and podcast host. “I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself,” she sniffs, adding that many of their party from the family’s recent skiing trip to Switzerland, with friends including Ashley Cole and his wife Sharon Canu, were also struck down with the bug. Nonetheless, the 39-year-old is excited to tell us all about her new spring edit for F&F, also opening up about her marriage to former Premier League football star Peter Crouch, why she adores working with him on their hit podcast, and the secret to their happy union.
Abbey and her family – towering former England striker Peter, 44, and their four children – spent the recent half-term holiday on the slopes with friends. With her trademark dry wit, especially when it comes to her 6ft 7in husband, the Liverpudlian star joked on Instagram that Peter’s skiing skills were so appalling he spent “most of his time on top of another woman” – after he repeatedly fell over on their petite skiing instructor.
“I saw the girl in question at the resort at one point, and she was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m getting so much stick from my friends after that comment!’” laughs Abbey. “Yeah, Pete was hilarious. It was a fab holiday. So good, I hardly got a single picture of myself – it looks like I wasn’t even there!”
The couple’s banter is top notch, and it’s clear that their 14-year marriage is rock solid (as she reminds us, they may have been married for 14 years this June, but they’ve actually been together almost 20 years). One of the golden couples of football, they renewed their vows during a stunning ceremony in the Maldives in December 2022, and Abbey believes they’ve lasted the course because, although they may both have changed a lot since their wedding day, crucially, they’ve evolved together and not apart.
“We’ve totally grown together over the years,” she says. “When we look back at our wedding day, some of the choices we’ve made, some things we’ve done in the past, we’re like, ‘Bloody hell, who were we then?!’ But today? We’re still in sync. We’ve got the same interests and the same things make us laugh.It’s a really happy time for us at the moment.”
So how does a couple who’ve been together for nearly two decades keep that spark alive? There’s no easy answer, admits Abbey, but she thinks it helps that the pair genuinely love spending any spare minute they have in each other’s company.
“We honestly do everything together, except work,” she says. “Actually, even work, because we have our podcast. I don’t need ‘space’ from Peter – unless I’m ill, like I am at the minute, because he’s a c**p nurse and I want him to go away! He’s useless then. We love hanging out together with our friends, going on date nights. Whatever we’re doing, we always have a laugh. I think that’s really helped us.”
That the pair enjoy a laugh together is crystal clear to anyone who has listened to their hit podcast, The Therapy Crouch. In the show, the pair open up about everything from parenting disasters to their sex life. “The thing is, with the podcast, we film it at home with my brother and my cousin, so it feels like we’re just having a chat,” Abbey reveals. “We genuinely forget it’s going out to millions of people. Then suddenly I’m on the front of a magazine, and I’m thinking, “Oh my God, did I actually say that?!”
Does the mum-of-four ever worry that one day she will say something she shouldn’t? “Yes, all the time!” Abbey says – but apparently not enough to go back and listen to an episode to approve it before it goes out to the masses. “But you know what? It’s important for us to be authentic… to be real,” she explains. “It’s quite a special thing, actually, to have dedicated time to sit down with your husband and talk about relationships, memories, things you’ve done with the kids. We love it.”
Abbey and Peter’s four children are all at very different stages in their young lives. There’s Sophia, who turns 14 this week, Liberty, nine, Johnny, seven, and five-year-old Jack. When it comes to parenting, says Abbey, Mum and Dad have very distinct roles. “Pete’s good cop and I’m bad cop,” she reveals. “I’m the one going, ‘Do your homework, eat your veg,’ and Pete’s like, ‘Let’s play, kids!’ which can be annoying but… it works.
“Our kids are very good, though. They’ve all got distinct personalities but they’re all easy-going. That’s not to say family life isn’t chaotic – it’s totally chaotic! There’s absolutely nothing chilled about the Crouch household, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
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The doting mum also admits that, having dreamed about finding some precious ‘me’ time when her children were younger, she misses them now they’re all of school age and out of the door in the morning – albeit to four different schools, making drop-offs and pick-ups an interesting endeavour. “I do miss them running about the place,” Abbey reflects. “We love everything about family life. I mean, my kids are not happy unless they’re three inches away from me – even Sophia, my eldest – and I really hope that continues.”
Social media is one thing Abbey worries about when it comes to her brood, especially with teenager Sophia. “I’d have them on zero screen time if I could, but that’s unrealistic,” she admits. “You just have to do whatever you can to keep your kids safe. We’re very open with our kids. We all talk about everything.
“Sophia’s a teenager now, and she can’t be the only one at school without a phone. But she plays two or three hours of tennis a day, so she’s not on her phone much. She’s an incredible tennis player. I’m not forcing her, she loves it. She’s a girl on a mission.”
As for her own endeavours, Abbey is eager to chat about the gorgeous new clothing range she has created for F&F, joking that she’s “channelling her Western era”. Abbey and Peter entertained fans in November when they posed in Wild West costumes to promote The Therapy Crouch (both of them are “obsessed” with the hit neo-Western series Yellowstone).
“Think Isabel Marant, double denim, those incredible studded belts that were big in the 90s, long skirts. We’re going back in time,” Abbey says. “There’s a lot of linen, beautiful trench coats, Miu Miu-esque cargo jackets. It’s a fabulous collection, and every single piece is one I want to wear, and do wear.
“It’s affordable, too. When you’re busy and you’ve got kids, you’re often last on the list, aren’t you? But if you can go and do your food shop and grab an amazing outfit at the same time, which is great quality, on-trend and makes you feel fantastic, it’s a win-win.”
As for Abbey’s own style, she says it has evolved over the years. “There aren’t quite as many leather hot pants in my wardrobe as there used to be,” she laughs. “But I still have eclectic taste. I’m trying to train myself to stop buying random miniskirts that just stay in the wardrobe forever, and instead focus on key pieces.” These days, she says, it’s all about “feeling comfy but looking cool”. She reveals, “My wardrobe is full of investment pieces. Nice jackets, jeans, bags and shoes, which I mix and match.”
Growing daughters Sophia and Liberty are now at the perfect age to raid their stylish mum’s wardrobe. “My kids take everything from me!” Abbey exclaims. “My lip gloss disappears. My new Miu Miu boots that I’ve just bought now live in Sophia’s wardrobe. She steals everything. She’s got a good eye, I have to say. I’ve still got all my Isabel Marant stuff from years ago, and she’s wearing it all now. Boho chic is back.”
It’s not just the kids who raid Abbey’s stash of goodies – Peter regularly dips in and out of his wife’s collection of beauty products. “He’s an absolute nightmare,” she says. “I buy myself a special shampoo that costs a fortune for dyed blonde hair, and he’s finished it after two washes. The cheek!”
Abbey will turn 40 next January, and she looks incredible. When asked what her secret is, she says it’s “everything in moderation”. She adds that although she tries to generally eat well – and keeps fit with Pilates classes with the school mums and lots of horse riding – she’ll also enjoy a day off from worrying about what she eats or how much exercise she’s doing.
“My perfect cheat night would be red wine, cheese and bread. Give me all the carbs!” she laughs. “I must have eaten at least three tonnes of cheese while we were in Switzerland, it was ridiculous.”
As for her idea of the perfect weekend, it’s with Peter and the kids in the English countryside. “A trip to the country with some horse riding, a big Sunday roast in a cosy pub, and some spa time,” she says. “Then, after the kids go to bed, a glass of wine and a movie with Peter. That’s heaven to me.”
Abbey Clancy's Top Spring Picks are now available to buy in the majority of larger Tesco stores.
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