Judi Love is a fan-favorite Loose Women panellist, a fixture on the comedy circuit, and is presently headlining her own tour, The One Like, but despite her impressive resume, she isn’t ready to call herself a success and has huge plans for her next step.
The 43-year-old is preparing to write her own sitcom, which she hopes will alter her opinion.
‘That line “I’ve made it” doesn’t sit right with me,’ she strongly proclaimed.
‘I don’t want to be comfortable. I don’t think anyone should become complacent.
‘There are moments where I’ve felt the overwhelming pleasure of joy but I’ve not made it.
‘When I’m on tour and get a standing ovation, or someone tells me: “You helped get me through lockdown with your funny videos on social media,” or I’m working on a pie campaign with Higgidy are those moments.’
There’s a reason creating a sitcom is so appealing to Judi: ‘I want to be the one making the decisions. I want to be working on my own shows.
‘I could see myself with a chat show, and I’ve got many ideas for a sitcom. I’m writing a memoir at the moment too.’
Judi is concerned with the larger picture and who she can influence, in addition to her own career aspirations. She recently spent thirty minutes giving guidance to a ‘gentleman in Tesco’ who told her he wanted to pursue comedy. She offered him some of her valuable time knowing how tough it might be.
‘Opportunities that are being given to me like the ethnicity awards and being on the all-Black panel for Loose Women I’m happy to take as I feel like they will make a difference and, also, I just genuinely enjoy it.
‘Being a Black woman, being a plus-size woman, being a woman over the age of 40 on daytime TV – there are so many different things that I am able to represent,’ she explained.
‘For me, that’s one of the greatest things. People thank me and that’s what pushes me forward.’
Being on Loose Women has given her the opportunity to enter people’s living rooms every week, something she does not take for granted, especially given that she just changed jobs in her thirties. Prior to entering show business, she was pursuing a Masters in Social Work.
‘I spent my first Loose Women pay cheque on bills,’ she admitted.
‘I didn’t need to buy myself a treat because for me the treat was actually being on the show and meeting these phenomenal women, who’ve taught me so much about working hard.
‘It’s amazing that someone like myself who is either a single parent or looks like me or has a desire to do something at a later age like I did can feel inspired.
‘Before doing comedy and getting my job on Loose Women I remember just getting to a point in my life where it was like I might as well try it.
‘The biggest thing that stops us from doing things is fear, but I didn’t let it stop me.’
With her busy schedule, being a single mum to two children, and her tendency to indulge in supermarket chats with perfect strangers Judi has to remind herself to take time off.
‘I’ve had to learn to take breaks.
‘When you’re busy you don’t want to let anybody down. When you love what you do, and you know how blessed and privileged you are to do it, it can be hard.
‘There’s no consistency with regards to time off your work – at 4am in the morning I could get an email, or I’ll film at different times.
‘That’s made me realise how important it is to carve out the breaks where I can so that I can give my best because you are really giving yourself in this job.
‘I think that I’m just at a stage where I’m learning how to balance.’
In fact, Judi, who is on tour until February, even finds herself working in her sleep: ‘I’ve woken up so many times to write down a joke that’s just come to me.’
With a MasterChef triumph and a time on Great British Bake Off under her belt, Judi’s current venture with Higgidy Pies makes perfect sense.
She spent time with the brand’s gourmet chef Jordan Kerridge, which was a pleasure for Judi, a food fanatic who tried the ‘wonderful pies’. Her personal faves were the chicken and sage roast pie and the spinach, feta, and pine nut pie.
‘I just love the way cooking and food brings people together. I love the mixing of my British and Jamaican heritage. That’s that’s how I’ve grown up. That’s what food is to me,’ she said.
‘It’s my way of showing love. I love coming back from a busy week and then making a bulk of my kids’ favourite food and sitting down with them and breaking bread.’
Judi Love is working with Higgidy to promote their mouth-watering pie range. The pies are easy to find at major retailers including, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco, Ocado and Asda and make the perfect hearty dinner this Autumn.
Source My Celebrity Life.