Lorraine Kelly: The Egg Cup

Summary

Sort Your Life Out Unpacked: Lorraine Kelly – "The Egg Cup"

Host: Dilly Carter
Guest: Lorraine Kelly
Episode Date: May 19, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features beloved TV presenter Lorraine Kelly joining organization expert Dilly Carter to "unpack" three meaningful objects from Lorraine's home. Through these artifacts, Lorraine shares stories of family, cherished memories, her career in television, and what truly matters most to her. The conversation brims with warmth, humor, nostalgia, and practical organizing advice.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cleaning Before the Cleaner & Family Heritage

Timestamp: 01:05 – 03:15

• Lorraine admits feeling guilty about hiring a cleaner and always tidies before they arrive.
  • “For years and years, I actually couldn't tell my mother that I had a cleaner. I don't know whether it's a working class guilt thing, but I do definitely clean up before she comes, which is mad.” (02:01, Lorraine Kelly)
• Discusses the "Granny Mac gene" inherited from her grandmother – a tendency toward clutter.
• Lorraine notes her daughter Rosie is much more organized, even having color-coded wardrobe dividers for her daughter Billie.

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2. Quickfire Home Questions

Timestamp: 03:18 – 04:44

• Home described as “organised chaos.”
• Lorraine’s bedside table: “groaning under the weight of books... three towers actually, at the moment.” (03:45–03:50, Lorraine Kelly)
• Many books are comfort rereads. Rosie’s published book, with a heartfelt letter to Lorraine inside, means the world to her.
  • “She paddles her own canoe and does her own thing and I like that... She’d written a letter to me at the end. Honestly, I was crying. It was so beautiful and it really meant a lot.” (04:04–04:29, Lorraine Kelly)

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3. First Object: The Music Box

Timestamp: 04:54 – 07:54

• Lorraine presents a tiny music box with a rabbit—gifted by her husband when she learned she was pregnant with Rosie.
• The music box was played for Rosie as a baby, placed on Lorraine’s stomach.
• It now delights granddaughter Billie.
  • “It’s kind of like a link between me and then Rosie and then on to Billy as well... it does look a bit rough around the edges because it’s been loved... but I don’t mind that.” (06:19–06:43, Lorraine Kelly)
• Reflects on the joy of being a grandparent—time slows, small moments like blowing bubbles are savored.

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4. Sentimentality & Preserving Memories

Timestamp: 07:54 – 09:53

• Lorraine shares how she has kept and reused sentimental items, like a pink jumper knitted by a viewer for Rosie, now worn by Billie.
• Discusses her care in storing special items—“I had it all wrapped in tissue paper and in a box and then the box was in a hamper… so it was always there.” (09:02–09:10, Lorraine Kelly)
• The loft, in contrast, is "full of rubbish" and "organized chaos."

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5. Second Object: African Mementos

Timestamp: 10:22 – 14:50

• Lorraine’s box holds a wooden leopard and a stone bird—symbols from Zimbabwe and Botswana—and a “wee” lucky charm from a Zimbabwean lady.
• Africa is a special place—her family camps there, and she values the experiences and the mementos.
• On collecting fridge magnets from every trip:
  • “I’m going to have to get another fridge.” (12:46–12:49, Lorraine Kelly)
• Lorraine is not very organized with the magnets—“Ethiopia is beside Singapore, Vegas beside Zimbabwe, it’s all fine.” (13:11–13:20, Lorraine Kelly)
• She is a self-confessed geek, into books about exploration and space. Notes her love for Star Trek stems from her father, recently deceased.
  • “He instilled so much in me... a love of curiosity.” (13:59–14:30, Lorraine Kelly)
• The importance of objects connected to memories: “Cause with that sadness that he’s no longer there is the joy that he was there.” (14:57, Lorraine Kelly)

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6. Storing & Organizing Photos

Timestamp: 15:08 – 16:02

• Dilly’s photo organization advice: regularly sort through old photos, discard duplicates or unclear shots, and store remaining ones in albums or labeled boxes (e.g., "Billie’s First Birthday").
• Lorraine’s photos are scattered throughout her home on shelves.

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7. Star Trek Fandom and Autographs

Timestamp: 16:26 – 17:15

• Lorraine’s Star Trek memorabilia includes autographs from cast members.
• She admits to being “mortally offended” when Star Trek is confused with Star Wars.
• Discusses her nervous (and nearly disastrous) interviews with Leonard Nimoy and Buzz Aldrin due to her awe.

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8. Third Object: The TVAM Egg Cup

Timestamp: 18:07 – 20:35

• Lorraine’s “egg cup”—marked TVAM—is a treasured keepsake from her TV debut in 1984.
• Recalls the heartbreak of a BBC boss saying she'd never make it in TV because of her accent, and the serendipity of TVAM offering her a job the same day.
  • “The boss of BBC Scotland said, ‘You’ll never make it in television with that accent.’ And I was so crushed. And it just so happened... when a door closes, a window opens.” (18:55–19:03, Lorraine Kelly)
• The egg cup isn’t used but sits prominently in her kitchen.
• Lorraine’s TV career highlights: meeting icons like Bette Davis, Burt Lancaster; still feels starstruck today.

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9. Reflections on Career, Privilege, and Family

Timestamp: 22:13 – 24:56

• Lorraine is energized by her work—both meeting celebrities and sharing others’ stories.
  • “It’s that trust thing... and that is an enormous privilege, a massive privilege, and I never, ever forget that.” (22:16–23:00, Lorraine Kelly)
• Discusses how her husband Steve is the "organized one" at home; the kitchen is meticulously run by him.
  • “You want to see our cupboards? Actually, you’d be happy—tins are facing out, lined up like little soldiers.” (24:47–25:02, Lorraine Kelly)
• She admits to being hopeless at cooking—happiest when watching or supervising Steve from her favorite chair.

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10. Keep, Donate, Recycle?

Timestamp: 25:05 – 26:09

• Lorraine would keep the music box, potentially sell the TVAM egg cup, and donate the African mementos.
  • “I’m channeling my Norwegian Viking... In Norway, they just go, no. Okay, we all know where we stand, so I’m going to be more direct!” (25:47–26:09, Lorraine Kelly)

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11. Lorraine’s Happy Place

Timestamp: 26:09 – 26:52

• Her happy place: the kitchen.
  • “In the corner of the kitchen I’ve got this lovely chair... and I sit on that and I’ve got Billy on my knee and we’re reading stories or I’m watching Steve cook... it’s just where I think the heart of the house is.” (26:17–26:41, Lorraine Kelly)

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Notable Quotes

• "My bedside table is groaning under the weight of books... three towers actually, at the moment." (03:45–03:50, Lorraine Kelly)
• "She paddles her own canoe and does her own thing and I like that." (04:08, Lorraine Kelly)
• "It’s as strong a love as you have for your child, but it’s almost as if you’re reliving it again." (07:34, Lorraine Kelly)
• "Cause with that sadness that he’s no longer there is the joy that he was there." (14:57, Lorraine Kelly)
• "It’s that trust thing... and that is an enormous privilege, a massive privilege, and I never, ever forget that." (22:16–23:00, Lorraine Kelly)
• "In Norway, they just go, no... Okay, we all know where we stand, so I’m going to be more direct." (25:47–26:09, Lorraine Kelly)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Family Tidying Habits: 01:05 – 03:15
• Quickfire Home Personality: 03:18 – 04:44
• Music Box (First Object): 04:54 – 07:54
• Sentimental Objects: 07:54 – 09:53
• African Keepsakes (Second Object): 10:22 – 14:50
• Storing Photos: 15:08 – 16:02
• Star Trek Fandom: 16:26 – 17:15
• TVAM Egg Cup (Third Object): 18:07 – 20:35
• Reflections on Career: 22:13 – 24:56
• Keep, Donate, Recycle: 25:05 – 26:09
• Happy Place in the Home: 26:09 – 26:52

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is chatty, affectionate, and peppered with gentle self-deprecation, family pride, and a warm sense of nostalgia. Lorraine is candid, direct, and often humorous, exuding the openness and gratitude she is known for.

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Key Takeaways

• Objects in our lives gain meaning through stories and shared experiences, not just sentimental storage.
• It's important to both honor memories and embrace pragmatism in decluttering.
• Create happy, communal spaces at home—the heart of the house—where family and memories gather.
• Embrace who you are and where you come from, even when others doubt you.
• The things to keep are those that spark tangible joy and are used or connected to ongoing relationships.

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This episode is rich in warmth, laughter, and practical wisdom—not just about organizing, but about treasuring life and legacy.

Transcript

[Dilly Carter]

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[Lorraine Kelly]

Let's talk groceries. Specifically your groceries. With Instacart, you want your groceries just

[Dilly Carter]

the way you like them, right?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Well, the Instacart app lets you do just that. They have a new preference picker that lets you pick how ripe or unripe you want your bananas. Shoppers can see your preferences up front, helping guide their choices. Instacart. Get groceries just how you like.

[Dilly Carter]

I'm Dilly Carter, the organized one. And this is Sort yout Life Out Unpacked. Get ready to unpack three boxes with my celebrity guest. Every box has an item from their own home, plus a load of stories and memories. And stand by for my tips on how to sort your own life out too. This episode, I am speaking to a friend. Can I call you a friend?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Absolutely.

[Dilly Carter]

Who also happens to be TV royalty. She grew up in Glasgow and has been on our screen since 1984. She's a mum and now a granny. And like so many of us, she admits to tidying up before the cleaner comes. It is, of course, the much loved. She gave it away. Lorraine Kelly.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, it's so good to be here. Thank you for asking me.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, I'm so grateful that you're here. And honestly, I feel so strange. I. I'm interviewing you.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I know, it's lovely.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, it's just so lovely. I mean. So why do we do it? Why do we always clean before the cleaner comes?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I don't know. And for years and years, I actually couldn't tell my mother that I had a cleaner. I don't know whether it's a working class guilt thing, but I do definitely clean up before she comes, which is mad.

[Dilly Carter]

I do the same. I do exactly the same.

[Lorraine Kelly]

That's crazy, right? But we've got this thing that we don't want anybody to think that we've got a dirty house. No, you know, that is a really kind of like Glasgow thing as well. And our house was like a wee palace. I Mean, my mother was like, unbelievable, you know, everything was perfect. You would love her.

[Dilly Carter]

So you didn't follow in her footsteps?

[Lorraine Kelly]

No. Her mother had this crazy house. I always remember it growing up and everywhere you went, you were just tripping over things. Cause it was a tiny, tiny wee flat. And we've got this gene, we call it the Granny Mac gene. Cause she was my Granny McMackin. It missed my mother, but, oh, my goodness me, it got passed into me.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, yes. So you've got the Granny Mac Jean.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I have.

[Dilly Carter]

And then has that passed down to Rosie or skipped a generation?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Wee bit. I think she's far more organised. My daughter is very organized. It's a spreadsheet for everything, you know, and her house is. It's not a minimalist house, but it's certainly not as crazy as mine.

[Dilly Carter]

I actually noticed on her Instagram stories the other day, and I had to comment because when I was looking at gorgeous little Billy's wardrobe, your gorgeous granddaughter Billy, of course, I saw that all her clothes have got clothes dividers in their wardrobe. I was like, oh, well done.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Color coordinated, all absolutely perfection.

[Dilly Carter]

I'm going to ask you some quick fire treats.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Sure, of course.

[Dilly Carter]

Okay. How would you describe your home in a sentence?

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's organised chaos.

[Dilly Carter]

Organised chaos. I love that.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Okay.

[Dilly Carter]

Organised chaos. At least there's some organized in there. Complete the sentence.

[Lorraine Kelly]

My bedside table is groaning under the weight of books. Oh, gosh, books everywhere. Far too many books.

[Dilly Carter]

How many books do you think you've got on your bedside table?

[Lorraine Kelly]

On my bedside table? Maybe 10.

[Dilly Carter]

10?

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's like a tower.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, wow.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Three towers actually, at the moment.

[Dilly Carter]

And are these all books that you need to read or that you've read?

[Lorraine Kelly]

These are books that I have read and love to reread. They give me great comfort.

[Dilly Carter]

You enjoy reading?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I mean, the little parts of them that mean a lot.

[Dilly Carter]

And is Rosie's book on there, the side of the table?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm so proud of my daughter because she has written this book and I only got to read it when it was actually ready for publication. She didn't show me it at all and she didn't ask for any help. She paddles her own canoe and does her own thing and I like that. I do. I think it's wonderful. But I read it and she'd written a letter to me at the end. Honestly.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, gosh.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I was crying. It was so beautiful and it really meant a lot. And she's dedicated the book to me and to my mum and to Billy because of Course, my mum. We've got the four generations of formidable women and Billie is going to be a very formidable woman as she grows up.

[Dilly Carter]

Well, I have met Billi and I can see that already. That brings us very nicely, actually into having a look at what you brought in from home. Yeah. Yes.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Okay. There we go.

[Dilly Carter]

Okay. Well, it's very light.

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's quite small.

[Dilly Carter]

Very small.

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's a small, tiny thing.

[Dilly Carter]

It's a small box. So this looks like. Oh, and it is a music box.

[Lorraine Kelly]

It is a music box.

[Dilly Carter]

It's a beautiful small music box. And it's got a screen actually, hasn't it? Yeah, on the reverse. And it's got a rabbit in it and it's called the Little Grey Rabbit Dancing it turn back of that and it's. You can wind it up. Do you mind if I wind it up?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Please wind it up.

[Dilly Carter]

Okay, let's listen to the.

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's a small, small world.

[Dilly Carter]

It's a small, small world. Of course.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Well, my husband bought that when he was filming in Belfast, just when I found out I was pregnant. So that would be 1993. Towards the end of 1993, and he was at the airport and he saw that and he bought it for her. And she loved it as a baby. I actually used to put it on my stomach when I was hugely preg.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, really?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Cause I thought she might like the song. Listen to the sun and the wee thing dancing, as you could see it, dancing about there. It was such a lovely thing. And for him to buy it, I think that was really special as well. And then obviously Billy now loves it too. So it's got a new life.

[Dilly Carter]

It's got a new life. And where does this live? In your house? Where was it?

[Lorraine Kelly]

In Billy's room? In our house?

[Dilly Carter]

It's now in Billy's room.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah. Cause Billy's sort of discover it. Well, I played it to her and this is just on the bedside table.

[Dilly Carter]

And does she recognise and love this now?

[Lorraine Kelly]

She loves it and she can actually wind it up now. It's a very, very special thing. And it's kind of like a link between me and then Rosie and then on to Billy as well, which is good. I mean, it does look a bit rough around the edges because it's been loved, you know, it's been held and it's been wound up and I'm sure she's chewed the corners and all of that, but I don't mind that. I think that's actually lovely.

[Dilly Carter]

And obviously your granddaughter Billy brings you so much joy. What do you think has been the biggest change for you in having a granddaughter?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Gosh, it's just, you know, it has changed everything. And obviously when Ro. When Rosie was born, it was very, very different. You know, I was working. Those early months are so precious that you don't really get that back. And although, for goodness sake, I was there and, you know, you worry about it, but when Tiny comes along, of course, it's totally different. And I can find myself now spending 45 minutes blowing bubbles. And the first bubble you blow is as exciting to Billy as the hundredth and tenth bubble that you blow. And that's a joy. Looking at a puddle for 10 minutes. Fantastic. Cause I've got the time now to do that and I make the time to do that.

[Dilly Carter]

That's what it's about, isn't it, being a grandparent?

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's as strong a love as you have for your child, but it's almost as if you're reliving it again. And because Billy looks so like Rosie to you, and I'm reading her stories again, I've kept books. I've got books of mine when I was a kid and books of Rosie's, and I'm rereading them to Billy and that's a joy, absolute joy.

[Dilly Carter]

So it's lovely that you kept all those things.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah.

[Dilly Carter]

So you really are sentimental because you've kept the toys that you've passed down, you've kept the books that you've passed down, but you're reading. But what I love is that you haven't just kept them and they're just sitting in a box in the loft. The great thing about having things that we keep, that we love, that are sentimental and that you do want to share with other people in the family, is that you use them and that you are reading them and they aren't just sat there gathering dust. So, you know, for all those people that have got lots of lovely sentimental items that maybe they want to, you know, introduce to their grandchildren, then get them down from the loft.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, absolutely.

[Dilly Carter]

Because they can bring so much jewelry, clothes, dilly.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I had a little pink jumper that actually a viewer knitted for Rosie when she was about a year, and that jumper, Billy had it on when we were up in Glasgow and it was like, oh, my goodness, this is amazing. You know, that's something. And it's more than the thing that she's wearing. It's all of the emotional connection.

[Dilly Carter]

Absolutely.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And all the memories, like I was saying to Rosie, oh, I remember you had that jumper on and we were into Shapon Sea and Orkney and you started taking your first steps and it was like a massive, huge thing. And now look, and now there's Billy with the same jumper.

[Dilly Carter]

Now Billy's in that jumper. And dare I ask, how was that jumper stored in the loft and all those clothes that you've been saving? It wasn't.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Well, I had it all wrapped in tissue paper and in a box and then the box was in a hamper and the hamper was always in Rosie's wee room.

[Dilly Carter]

Ah, okay.

[Lorraine Kelly]

So it was always there.

[Dilly Carter]

So always beautifully stored.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah. I didn't put things. I'm always worried about putting things in a garage or a loft in case they get all yucky.

[Dilly Carter]

So does that mean your loft is empty?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, God, no. Full of rubbish. I have no idea what's happening.

[Dilly Carter]

Full of organized chaos.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah, I have no idea. A lot of it is Steve's stuff. You know, him being a cameraman.

[Dilly Carter]

Because he's not a cameraman anymore.

[Lorraine Kelly]

No. Well, he still takes a million videos of his granddaughter.

[Dilly Carter]

So does that mean he has now a newfound love of his passion of what he did?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Obviously filming Billy with Billy. Absolutely. And he's a good caption every moment. He's so good. You know, he was very, very hands on and very much more confident than I was in the initial stages. I mean, you get there in the end, don't you? But he was great and he's really good with Billy. He's very funny.

[Dilly Carter]

Look at all the lovely things that we've just talked about that that tiny little music box has bought and Joy and you know, even just playing the music and the fact that Billy enjoys it, Rosie enjoyed it and you, you know, you enjoyed the fact that Steve gave it to you. Yeah. So it tells so many stories, doesn't it? So well, it'll be lovely that you're going to have that in your house. And hopefully Rosie will. Well, she'll take it at one point.

[Lorraine Kelly]

She probably will.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah. We'll have to keep an eye on that little music box. Let's move on to your second item, shall we?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Pass me over the box again. Quite a small item. It's not big.

[Dilly Carter]

Is this going to be another treasure? Let's see. Oh, now I see why you're like, oh, there's something in here. Okay, so in this box there are three items.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yes, they're all connected.

[Dilly Carter]

They're all connected. But the first one is a wooden leopard. I mean, this is.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I thought you'd like the leopard, obviously. Of course.

[Dilly Carter]

Love the Leopard. So we've got a wooden leopard and then we've got. It's a bird. Who is.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Is this.

[Dilly Carter]

What is this made out of?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I don't know. It's like stone. It's a symbol of Zimbabwe.

[Dilly Carter]

Okay.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And the little other tiny little thing. There was a wee lady in Zimbabwe gave me that for good luck. It's just a little symbol for good luck that I always keep in my purse. And it's just, you know, I don't. I'm not a superstitious person at all, but I just. I think it's very lovely and sometimes I just hold it because it's really quite comforting to hold. But I love.

[Dilly Carter]

Do you keep it in your purse?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I keep it in my purse. I love that.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Do you? I do.

[Dilly Carter]

So if you ever change purses, it switches with you all.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, I'll never change purses.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, gosh, no.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I've had that purse for a hundred years.

[Dilly Carter]

Have you got a purse full of receipts?

[Lorraine Kelly]

No, it's tiny. You'll approve. It's very, very small. It's just got credit cards, a few pictures of Billy and Rosie and that me thing there.

[Dilly Carter]

So this is from Zimbabwe. And so is the bird that sat on the wall. Is it sat on the wall?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah, it's kind of a symbol of Zimbabwe, which is one of my favourite places in the world. I love Africa. The wee leopard, we go in Botswana. We'd been going to Africa for many, many years, since Rosie was tiny and we go camping. So we did it first in Botswana, and it was amazing. Absolutely amazing.

[Dilly Carter]

You were staying there?

[Lorraine Kelly]

No, no, because as long as you're careful and as long as you don't get in the middle of the night, you get out of the tent, it's okay for boys because they can just pee out the tent. It's difficult for girls. I've tried those shiwi things, but they don't work for me. Oh, my God. It's a nightmare. The image of you with a shewee, it's just. I'm sorry to put that into your head.

[Dilly Carter]

Our national treasure with a she of the road.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I loved it. And we've seen the most extraordinary things. Dilly. Amazing things.

[Dilly Carter]

I mean, that's. I think that's the loveliest thing, isn't it, about travel? You see, in the world, it's such a big world.

[Lorraine Kelly]

The further I've traveled, the more I realize we're all the blinking same.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah.

[Lorraine Kelly]

We just want the best for our kids. We want to live our lives. We're all the Same.

[Dilly Carter]

Of all of these things that you collect, do you collect something from every country that you go to?

[Lorraine Kelly]

The fridge magnets, obviously. Fridge magnets are big, big masses.

[Dilly Carter]

Ask about the fridge magnets.

[Lorraine Kelly]

There's a fridge magnet from every part of the world.

[Dilly Carter]

And how many fridge magnets have you got on your fridge?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I'm going to have to get another fridge.

[Dilly Carter]

No, you're not. You're not going to get another fridge. You're going to have to stop buying them.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I can't.

[Dilly Carter]

No, you can't.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I can't.

[Dilly Carter]

But it's my husband, he's like, we

[Lorraine Kelly]

have to be muss.

[Dilly Carter]

And your granddaughter, Billy.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, she plays with them. Yeah, she plays with them, takes them off and then puts them back any old how. So it doesn't really matter.

[Dilly Carter]

So there's no organization to your fridge magnets?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Absolutely not. Absolutely not.

[Dilly Carter]

It's not like incontinence or organized by countries.

[Lorraine Kelly]

No, no, no, no, no. Absolutely not. Ethiopia is besides Singapore, it's all good. And you know, Vegas is besides Zimbabwe. It's all fine.

[Dilly Carter]

As well as all of the items that you've collected and curated. Obviously you collect books.

[Lorraine Kelly]

See, when we move house and I can't let go of any one of them, I've got to hang on to them, see.

[Dilly Carter]

Have you ever decluttered your books where.

[Lorraine Kelly]

No. In a word, no, I haven't. I've got so many books. I've got every single book about Antarctica and Shackleton and, you know, explorers and all of that. Every single book I think that's ever been written.

[Dilly Carter]

You're very into space.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I am.

[Dilly Carter]

I'm a geek.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I'm actually a geek. A real, real geek. That was my dad. My dad instilled that in me. Bought me my first telescope, sat and watched the moon landings together. He got me into Star Trek.

[Dilly Carter]

Your dad recently passed away and I'm so sorry.

[Lorraine Kelly]

He did. It was very, very, very sad. Very sad. He was such an interesting fella, you know, he brought up in the gorbles, super bright. So, so bright. But he instilled so much in me, you know, a love of books by Carl Sagan, just a love of curiosity. That's what he always said. You have to ask questions. And he said, and don't be scared to ask a question. Don't ever think people are going to think you're daft. You're not. Just ask all the time. And of course, here I've ended up for a living, I ask questions, you

[Dilly Carter]

know, which is amazing.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I know. It's actually worked out really well and. But no, he was a smashing fella and we'll really, really miss him.

[Dilly Carter]

And do you think that's gonna change the way that you keep items that remind you of your dad now?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah, very much so. I mean, obviously photographs, of course, you know, photographs are very much so, but books as well. So. Yeah, these that spark memory.

[Dilly Carter]

Yes.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And also joy. And also, you know. Cause with that sadness that he's no longer there is the joy that he was there.

[Dilly Carter]

Absolutely.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Do you know what I mean? It's that kind of thing.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah. So hopefully when you look at those items in your house, they are gonna make you smile.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. Especially the photographs when he was wee, when he was young. They're great.

[Dilly Carter]

And all the photographs in your house, are they scattered all over your house and on your walls?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yes, they are. They're mostly on the shelves and they're everywhere.

[Dilly Carter]

A few things when we're storing photos, which is really lovely to do. Number one, if you've got boxes of photos, you and I are from that generation where there are lots of photos is to bring them down from wherever they're being stored. And I think it's a really nice thing to do over an evening or, you know, over a couple of weeks is have your box of photos by your feet, watch your TV and go through those photos. Because there's so many photos that will be duplicates that we don't need, you know, red eye scenes that we've got no idea where they're from. So you can normally reduce your photos by half anyway. But when you're then going to store those photos, it's easier then to go, right, okay, I'm going to store these photos in a photo album. Or nowadays you can buy these boxes which have got like 24 cases and they're very small like this, but they'll fit like 200 photos in. And then you could label it Billy's first birthday. Yes. Billy's second birthday. Billy's third.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Billy's this, Billy's that.

[Dilly Carter]

When you finally unpacked your house, you're moving, then that can be on your to do list. So sitting there on the sofa watching something, sort of, you know, vaguely watching something and going through these photos, do you know what you're. You're going to be very upset with me.

[Lorraine Kelly]

What?

[Dilly Carter]

I've never watched Star Trek.

[Lorraine Kelly]

No, I'm not upset. I'm delighted for you. You have that joy to come.

[Dilly Carter]

Would that be your specialist subject on Mastermind?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Absolutely, yes.

[Dilly Carter]

Is there a section in your house dedicated to Star Wars. No, Star Trek, because it's Star Trek. Sorry, Star Trek. Oh, gosh. Star Trek. Star Trek.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Star Trek.

[Dilly Carter]

Star Trek.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Honestly, is there a section mortally offended.

[Dilly Carter]

Who knew I'd offend you in this way? Is there a section in your house dedicated to Star Trek?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yes, there is. Many a shelf. And I've got autographs from Bill Shatner, who played Captain Kirk. I never ever got Mr. Spock's. Cause I was too shy to ask. He was on the show. Leonard Nimoy, who is Mr. Spock, who I adored and who was my first crush. I loved him so much. And it was the worst interview. It was like nearly as bad as my interview with Buzz Aldrin, the second man in the moon, because I was just so in awe that I just sat there going.

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[Lorraine Kelly]

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[Dilly Carter]

I'm very excited to say it's time for box number three again.

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's very small. All the mains are very. Sorry. All the mains are very tiny.

[Dilly Carter]

I mean, this is.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I know, it is really tiny. Has it got lost in there? It's the smallest thing.

[Dilly Carter]

In this very big box is a very tiny egg cup which says TVAM.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, TVAM.

[Dilly Carter]

TVM. I mean, I'm a child of the 80s as well. And so I remember TVAM.

[Lorraine Kelly]

TVAM was my massive, big break because I'd been working in newspapers and then I went to the BB in Scotland and I worked as a researcher there, but they would send me out to do vox pops, you know, to talk to people. And then I got pulled into the boss's office and I thought they were gonna offer me a job as a reporter, which is what I really wanted to do. I wanted to be an on air reporter. And the boss of BBC Scotland said, you'll never make it in television with that accent.

[Dilly Carter]

Wow.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And I was so crushed. I was so crushed. And it just so happened, you know this weird thing, when a door closes, a window opens.

[Dilly Carter]

Yes.

[Lorraine Kelly]

That day, one of the guys that was working as a reporter for tvam, this new shiny breakfast television. Oh, my goodness. It was all very dramatic and glamorous. I knew he was leaving and somehow I wouldn't have the gumption to do it. Now I phoned up the big boss of TVAM and they said, yeah, come down for an audition. Come down. Come down to London. And I went down and luckily he was Australian, the big boss guy called Bruce Skinjell. So he didn't hear a working class Glasgow accent, he just heard a Scottish accent, because class over there is not the same as it is in this country. So luckily I got the job on TVAM as a reporter. That was in 84 and I loved it. It was the best job ever. I traveled all over Scotland and did so many different things. It was an amazing, amazing job. And then I got asked to come down to London to present TVAM on the sofa, on the pink sofa with big silly hair and a pink shiny jacket with massive shoulder pads. You know, that's been me ever since.

[Dilly Carter]

I mean, you've had the most incredible career. And do you have. Do you actually eat eggs out of this?

[Lorraine Kelly]

No. That is quite a place in the kitchen.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, okay. So do you have an area? I was going to ask you, do you have an area in your house or a section of the wall that's all dedicated to your TV career?

[Lorraine Kelly]

Not really, no. I don't, I don't. It's just. But that little egg cup, and I've got a GMTV egg cup as well, and I've got various mugs, you know, that we just use, but that wee egg cup doesn't get used. That's a very, very special, special thing, because that was my big break.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And it was a joyful place to work. It was f. And we. Back then, I don't know if people remember, but Terry Wogan had a show, you know, just a sort of chat show, but the Michael Parkinson, that kind of thing.

[Dilly Carter]

But he had.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Every big, massive star in the world would come on that show. And our brilliant showbiz bookers used to stand outside the BBC, and when all these people were coming out and they didn't have big entourages, then they'd just say, would you come on our show tomorrow? We can't pay you anything, but you can do whatever you like. And nine times out of ten, they said yes. Hence, I got to talk to Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, I mean, Sammy Davis Jr. Oh, the greats. Absolute legends. You know, people That. I mean, it was just mind blowing that I would sit there looking at Kirk Douglas and think, I went to see Spartacus when I was a kid and you are sitting in front of me. I cannot believe that this is actually happening. And my first day on tvam, I got sent down to London just to meet everybody and they were interviewing Beth. Wow. Pet Davis. I mean, that, to me was just like, mind blown, you know, Couldn't get my head around it. I still get, you know, I still do get starstruck with people like, you know, Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, or somebody that I've really, really admired. Or usually a band from the 80s.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah.

[Lorraine Kelly]

You know, that. I don't know, Human Cry or China Crisis or people like that, you know, I mean. And of course, my team are. Because they're babies, they're like. Like, who? Who? And I'm like, that's Phil Okie from the Human League. I love him. And I'm like sitting there going, oh, my God. You know, so, yeah, I still get. I still get starstruck and I love it. It's just great fun.

[Dilly Carter]

And what drives you now, after all these years? I think because.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Because I've still. It's. The people that you work with are amazing. It's your team and they are like a family. But it is also that aspect of. You just never know what's going to happen. And it's kind of, you know, as well. It's wonderful. Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful to talk to, you know, know, they're like, it's a Hugh Jackman. I mean, what's not to like? It's wonderful. But also just talking to really amazing people who are trusting you with their stories, it's that trust thing, you know, that people have gone through, maybe gone through something terribly traumatic and they want to tell their story to either effect change or to make sure that this doesn't happen to someone else. If it's been a tragedy and they sit there on that sofa bearing their soul and trusting you, and that is an enormous privilege, a massive privilege, and I never, ever forget that. And I never forget how lucky I am.

[Dilly Carter]

What career?

[Lorraine Kelly]

God, it's extraordinary. Yeah.

[Dilly Carter]

And I mean, I feel very honoured that I've even been a part of that tiny little bit. And with Lorraine, you know, I was so grateful that I was on there for as long as I was.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Well, once you're in the gang, yeah, we don't let you go.

[Dilly Carter]

You've looked after me so well there and I have had so much joy and you've taught me so much, and I'm so grateful for that. I always will be. And the fact that you're here today is so lovely. So thank you for all of that. You know, I mean, I'm sure you've helped a huge amount of people, not just the listeners, but also, you know, the people that you've worked with.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Well, I just think. Don't you think as well? You know, here I am at the age of 66, and I'm hoping that I've accumulated a little bit of wisdom. But it's passing on what you've learned, I think is really important because then there's a legacy there.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah. I mean, how lovely that, you know, this amazing career has brought you so much joy. It has.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I do feel incredibly privileged to do what I do, and it's given me the opportunity to do so many other things. Yeah, you know, that's. That's.

[Dilly Carter]

To travel.

[Lorraine Kelly]

To travel. Yeah.

[Dilly Carter]

And to see the northern lights.

[Lorraine Kelly]

To see the Northern lights. I mean, that was huge.

[Dilly Carter]

How was that?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I loved it, Dilly.

[Dilly Carter]

But you can see that. And I think that's what's so lovely about the show, is that you can see how much you're enjoying it. Did Steve get to go with you?

[Lorraine Kelly]

No, but he does want. Now he's watched. He's like, I want to go there.

[Dilly Carter]

He's holding the fort back home.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yeah. Well, this is it. He is very good at that.

[Dilly Carter]

He's the organized one, isn't he?

[Lorraine Kelly]

The organized one. And I couldn't do what I do without him. There's no way he allows me to go and do these wonderful things and to work because he keeps things organized and taken over at home. He does the cooking. I'm hopeless. I mean, I'm genuinely hopeless.

[Dilly Carter]

So we won't see you on Bake off anytime soon.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Absolutely not.

[Dilly Carter]

No.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Wonderful show. Love it to bits. But you can't. I'll just watch.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah, just watch. So does that mean that he organises the kitchen? Yes, everything is down to him.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And actually our kitchen is really. It's the most organized room, really. He's got it all sorted. He has. Everything's in order. You want to see our cupboards? Actually, you'd be happy to see our cupboards.

[Dilly Carter]

I'd be happy to see our wonderful.

[Lorraine Kelly]

You would like it. All the tins are facing out and it's all lovely. And they're all. And they're all lined up like little soldiers.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, brilliant.

[Lorraine Kelly]

You'd be happy.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, good.

[Lorraine Kelly]

It's nothing to do. Me.

[Dilly Carter]

Nothing to do with you. We've heard about all your amazing items. If you absolutely had to, which would you sell, donate or keep?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I'd have to keep the music box.

[Dilly Carter]

Music.

[Lorraine Kelly]

That's the way, you know, buy a mail. Oh, I may. I maybe would sell the little A cup, because it might actually. I don't think it's of any value, is it?

[Dilly Carter]

Well, I mean, you know, it might be for someone that's, you know, collecting TV memorabilia from the 80s.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Maybe. Yeah, maybe. And then I would donate all the lovely. The little leopard in that, because I think that would go to a nice home. Good.

[Dilly Carter]

Very good decisions. They were very direct decisions.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Yes.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah, you were sure about them.

[Lorraine Kelly]

I'm channeling my Norwegian because I haven't been to Norway, where they're all very direct. You know, the way. You know the way we are in Britain, where somebody will say, do you fancy going for coffee? Or do you fancy going for lunch? Do you fancy this? And we sort of go, I really don't want to, but actually. Okay, yeah, fine. In Norway, they just go, no, no. Would you like to know? He go, okay, we all know where we stand, so I'm going to be more direct. I'm channeling my Norwegian Viking in a Norwegian Viking.

[Dilly Carter]

Oh, my gosh. Watch out, people. And my last question to you, where in your home is your happy place?

[Lorraine Kelly]

I think my happy place is probably the kitchen.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Because I've got. In the corner of the kitchen, I've got this lovely chair that I bought in Orkney, an Arcadian chair. They're handmade chairs. And I sit on that and I've got Billy on my knee and we're reading stories or I'm watching Steve cook. You know, I'm usually sitting there if it's the weekend with a glass of wine, watching him cook.

[Dilly Carter]

Lovely.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And, you know, it's just where I think the heart of the house is.

[Dilly Carter]

I completely.

[Lorraine Kelly]

So I think you would find me in the kitchen. Yeah.

[Dilly Carter]

I think the kitchen for most people is the heart of the house.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Not cooking.

[Dilly Carter]

Not cooking for you.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Observing.

[Dilly Carter]

Yeah. Being served.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Observing.

[Dilly Carter]

Observing.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Supervising.

[Dilly Carter]

Yes.

[Lorraine Kelly]

And playing and blowing bubbles and being silly.

[Dilly Carter]

It sounds absolutely delightful. Lorraine, thank you so much for coming on and being part of this podcast. It's been a joy to have you as I knew it would be. Thank you for giving so much and sharing your time.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Oh, it's been my pleasure. Absolute pleasure. Dilly. Thanks a million.

[Dilly Carter]

Thank you. Thank you. I can't wait to be back with you for more revealing home truths, Organise organizational hacks and celeb unboxings. Sort your life out. Unpacked is presented by me, Dilly Carter. You can watch us on iplayer and listen on BBC Sounds and don't forget to subscribe on BBC Sounds and have push notifications turned on to make sure you don't miss an episode.

[Lorraine Kelly]

Some events have far reaching consequences. The white noise, everything goes black and and apparently I was screaming. That's the moment that my life changed forever. I'm Dr. Sian Williams and I'm meeting the people whose lives have been reshaped in unexpected ways. That broke my heart. I just thought that is so cruel. Personal stories of loss, discovery and starting over. We do talk about it time to time and about how grateful we are to be in this country to be able to be free. Life changing from BBC Radio 4. Listen now on BBC Sounds.

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