International recording sensation, fitness guru, TV star, novelist and proud mum of four Stacey Jackson has recorded with superstar artists including Snoop Dogg. The South West London-based Sky TV music presenter is in-the-flesh proof that women really can have it all – but how does she balance working and parenting during the busiest time of the year?
Our Celebrity Editor Angela Sara West @angela_sara_west chats with the sizzling Canadian singer during a sensational shoot at her London home with Angela’s phenomenal photographer Earl (Stephen Santos) @wackpaper17photography about her healthy Caribbean Christmas plans, getting her party sparkles out for New Year, her TV shows, forthcoming EPs and first book, plus what she loves about Wimbledon!
As a Canadian, the Christmas season begins early for you, in November…
That’s right! The festive season starts around Thanksgiving for us. All of my kids fly in from wherever they live, and that’s when I get their gift list organised, ha ha!! The best part of the festive period is literally being with my family. I miss my kids sooo much. It’s tough going from four kids living at home to only one…
Your top tip for making Christmas run smoothly?
Making sure we are all together – no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’! My kids are spread out all over the place, so as long as we are together, we can order in Chinese food and it will still be special!
Your go-to Christmas comfort movie?
I looooove ‘Love Actually’. Even though we all know how it ends up, I still laugh at the end scene when the nerdy English guy ends up in Minnesota with five gorgeous models…
Talking of models, you ROCKED our runway at our recent London Fashion Week celebrity charity catwalk show… What outfits are you planning for those Christmas parties? What are you most excited about wearing?
I just picked up a black velvet, one-shoulder sparkly number by Retrofete, and I also have these satin flared trousers by Alice and Olivia that I’m obsessed with! I’ll probably pair them up with a sparkly biker jacket from IRO or something more classic from Veronica Beard…
How do you balance your role as a fitness guru when there’s so much yummy food around? Do you stay strict during the festive period or do you give yourself some time off?
You probably hear this a lot, but everything in moderation. I love to try everything, but I don’t load up my plate to the hilt. In fact, I trick my brain a bit by using a smaller plate! I know I also end up drinking more alcohol over the period, so I opt to just eat less of something else. Plus, of course, I make sure I continue with my workouts.
What are your plans for this holiday season?
Being Canadian and constantly surrounded by snow, I crave sun and the beach over the holiday… This year, we are going to the Caribbean, but trying to manage the entire family’s logistics — including my mom — getting there while air travel is still not back to normal, is proving to be a bit of a mare… If I liked the cold, I wouldn’t have left Canada, ha ha! I looooove the sun!
And your New Year festivities?
We are usually invited to a party for New Year, so I’m excited to get some of my sparkles out!!
What would be your Christmas message of hope to readers, following such turbulent times with the pandemic?
Video conferencing made lockdown a bit more bearable. So if you can’t see everyone over the festive period, definitely get in touch and video chat over the hols because a strong family and supportive friends are really what people need. Having that, plus being there to support others, is a key factor in sustaining good mental health.
If you could give any person in the world a gift, who would you give what to and why?
I lost a few friends over the last year to various causes and one in a tragic bike accident. If I could give their kids one more day with their mom, I would…
As a SW London resident, what do you love the most about Wimbledon?
It’s SO beautiful… I have a few friends who live there and, of course, I’m there for the tennis most summers!
You’ve recently re-recorded with Snoop and, like me, are a HUGE fan of 80s music… I LOVE watching your ‘Stacey Jackson In The 80s’ show on Sky TV!
I LOVE my job! Not only is it fun, but I get to talk about what I love (music AND the 80s)!! I write every single episode, and do a LOT of research so I can learn and share with you the best bits about artists and movements from that era. You can watch past episodes on my replay on my Youtube channel.
So, what’s next for Stacey Jackson? Any exciting projects planned for 2022?
2022 is very exciting for me as I have my first book coming out in the summer. I’m also releasing two new EPs and, of course, I’m still filming Stacey Jackson in the 80s on Sky, which airs weekly. So I’m on skids a lot… I was also cast in a supporting role in a TV drama that starts shooting in the first quarter of the year. I’ll have to clone myself, I think!!
For further info, visit: staceyjackson.com
Follow Stacey: @staerox
© Angela Sara West 2021 @angela_sara_west
