Most of us probably don’t think too much about all the wonderful work our amazing eyes do — as long as nothing goes wrong! But people’s fear of losing their vision is second only to cancer.
So to help mark The Eye Foundation’s upcoming event, JUL-eye, we talked with an expert about how to take the best care of our peepers.
Dr Georgina Kourt is an ophthalmologist and ocular plastic surgeon from the Sydney Eye Hospital.
“Having regular checks — either with an optometrist or an ophthalmologist — is so important, as sometimes you don’t know something’s wrong until it’s discovered in an examination,” she explains. “So this helps detect disease early and prevent it progressing.
“Blindness occurs predominantly in the two most vulnerable age groups: the very young and the elderly. The main causes of blindness in Australia are macular degeneration (MD), cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.”
Have regular eye checks.
Stop smoking. This is a significant risk factor for macular degeneration (MD).
Include in your diet, fruit, vegetables, nuts and fish. We know that zinc and antioxidants may help with MD.
Wear sunglasses. Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world — 5 to 10 per cent of those occur in the area around the eyelids.
Over the counter artificial lubricants are useful for dry eyes.
Have your prescription reviewed every two years; unless you notice deterioration in your vision. If you do, it could be that your glasses need updating, but it could also be a sign of more serious eye disease.
These need to be used with great caution, as it’s like putting a foreign body in your eye. Serious infections can result in the cornea of the eye, so if you start to develop redness in an eye, seek medical assistance immediately.
Have regular breaks to ease eye strain.
Artificial lubricants can help for dry eyes.
Take care when mowing or DIY-ing on the house — 90 per cent of eye injures can prevented by wearing glasses or safety goggles!
My wife Marian and I have been married for almost 10 years now. When we first met, she said she loved my creative side. But she doesn’t know how far my ‘creativity’ goes.
Marian works reasonably long hours and most nights she plays netball at a sports centre only one suburb away. What she doesn’t know is that, at night, I take advantage of my solitude and wear women’s clothes.
The signs were there when I was younger. I was raised solely by my mother and she was working three jobs to pay the bills and I spent a lot of time alone. Sometimes when I was bored of playing or watching TV, I used to go through her enormous wardrobe and look through all of her outfits. It felt to me as though I had access to another world, a world of beauty and glamour.
One afternoon, I came across a red evening gown that I just fell in love with. The garment told a story (in my daydream-prone adolescent mind, at least) of a world of nightclubs and bewitching songstresses living a life of unparalleled colour and vibrancy. I grew tired of just fantasising about it — I wanted to ‘be’ it.
I stood in front of the mirror that hung on the inside of one of the wardrobe doors and put the evening gown on. It felt so good and right, but also a little forbidden — which only served to heighten the excitement of it all. I struck a few poses for myself and, before long, I was strutting around the room singing in a husky, Marlene Dietrich-like voice. I felt alive and free; it was then that my mother came home — early!
I barely had time to get the dress over my head. She wasn’t sure what to think about what she saw. She yelled at me for ruining her favourite dress but in her eyes I thought I saw something else — a look of disappointment and confusion, perhaps. I was so ashamed. The years passed and I didn’t do it again, that was until after I met Marian.
Marian and I had a whirlwind romance and I had never been happier. We were so happy I rarely thought of what had happened in my childhood. Admittedly, I would pass certain women’s fashion stores and catch sight of a mannequin wearing a beautiful frock or a stunning pair of shoes and I would yearn to walk in and try those wonderful garments on. But I had convinced myself that it was just a passing fancy and that I could suppress it. I was very wrong.
It was a couple of years into our marriage and our schedules became very different due to the diversity of our careers and social circles. Marian and I have always been very much in love but not seeing each other took its toll and before long I was reaching out for ways to fill the void.
One day I came home from work to find that Marian had left a skirt draped over the lounge along with a blouse and her bra. She must have been in a hurry to change and get out the door again. I stared at the clothes for a brief moment before giving in to the inevitability of the moment and picking them up.
I put the bra on first. It felt like coming home. I quickly hunted around for something to stuff the cups with and settled on a few pairs of socks which did the trick. I then put on the rest of the outfit — I am fairly slim so it wasn’t much of a struggle to fit into my wife’s clothing — and ran to the mirror in the hallway. I nearly cried when I saw myself; I was so happy — I felt complete.
For years now, I have come to look forward to the nights I have alone, the nights when I can transform from Jeremy into Jasmine. I wear make-up and a wig I had specially made through a costumer online. I even have latex padding to fill out my bust. I have several of my own outfits now and I have to be very careful to hide them so that Marian doesn’t stumble on them. My primary fear is that my wife will find my feminine underwear and think I’m having an affair!
I love my wife and I am 100 per cent heterosexual. I just love the feeling of being Jasmine. One day I hope to gain the courage to tell my wife my secret. It is my sincere hope that the three of us can live happily together.
Picture: Getty Images. Posed by model.
Your say: How would you feel if you discovered your husband was a cross-dresser? Have your say about this true confession below…
Imagine you have tossed a pebble into a pond and you are watching the ripples spread out. The same principle applies to your life — your smallest action can have far-reaching effects.
By seeking opportunities to pay a compliment, show kindness, offer a helping hand or just listen with courtesy at least once every day, you create “ripples” that can go a long way towards making you feel happier and calmer. Why? Because we humans are tribal animals and the need for communication and strong, authentic connections with other humans is hard-wired into us.
In creating ripples, you are also making a subtle but very powerful life choice: to be a positive force in the world, rather than a negative one. Positive relationships and experiences aren’t elusive gifts; they’re the result of habits. Instead of reflexively seeing the worst, focus on the beauty and goodness in people and events. Try one — or all — of these eight easy ideas today.
Give a reason. Tell the people that you love why you love them. Say, “I care about you because you …” or “You matter to me because …”. And say it out loud, don’t expect them to guess.
Praise other people’s abilities. Say to the postman, the taxi driver or the garage mechanic, “You’re doing a great job” — magic words that can make a person’s day. Move on to your co-workers or friends.
Compliment a stranger. Tell someone that you love their haircut, handbag, puppy or shoes. Walking past a mother with a baby in a stroller? Say, “Oh, isn’t she sweet!” and smile.
Reach out and touch. Gently squeeze a colleague’s hand when you thank them for helping you. Never pass up an opportunity to give a congratulatory slap on the shoulder, a hug or an affectionate pat.
Show good manners. There is always time for courtesy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman — opening doors, giving up your seat on the train or bus, or offering another person the next place in a queue can all make someone else’s day and improve yours.
Say ‘Thank you’. Acknowledge everyone, whether they are young or old, fast or slow, family, friends or complete strangers. The simplest expression of gratitude is a gift to the giver as well as the recipient.
Play the game ‘New or Good’. At the end of each day, ask your flatmate, partner or child to tell you about one new or good experience they’ve had. Then offer your own response. It doesn’t have to be big; maybe the roses were out in the park where you had lunch. Notice all the small, sweet blessings in your life.
Sparkle. For one week, sprinkle “fairy dust” on everything that you do: be enthusiastic at the office; recognise people, remember their names and use them — no one likes to be ignored; smile and speak pleasantly; tell jokes. See the difference in how others respond to you.
YOUR SAY: Are you making a conscious effort to stay more positive? Perhaps you’ve already begun reaping the benefits? Share your thoughts below…
Getting angry every so often is, in fact, a very healthy thing to do, while keeping it all pent up inside is not. These seven ideas will help you vent your vexations more constructively.
Take a break. Anger lowers inhibitions and causes you to blurt out things you later regret. In the heat of the moment, do something to clear your head: slowly sip iced water, or lock yourself in the bathroom for five minutes of deep breathing. Clench and relax the muscles in your jaw, forehead and mouth. These actions will stop you — or at least slow you down — when you’re about to say something rash.
Let it out. Anger needs to be acted upon, not necessarily acted out. If you swallow your rage, it will eventually erupt and make you sick, and if you stay trapped in a “you made me angry because of what you did” mindset, you remain at the mercy of someone else. Either way, you become a victim — alone and suffering. Feel and express your anger by thumping a pillow or kicking a cardboard box ’til it’s in shreds.
Get physical. Vigorous exercise is a great way to discharge aggressive feelings, whether you go for a brisk walk, run, take up boxercise or belt a few balls at the golf range. As you run or move, visualise the anger streaming out of your heart and head with each exhalation. If you practise yoga, focus on back-bending poses like the Cobra or Bridge which, open your chest, boost circulation to the heart and facilitate fuller, deeper breathing.
Make a noise. Crash saucepan lids together as long and hard as you like. Sing at the top of your voice, sigh, groan or scream alone in the car. Making any sort of noise releases frustration and helps your body relax by creating endorphins, those “feel-good” hormones in your brain.
Appoint an anger buddy. Find someone trustworthy you can call or e-mail to blow off steam. Make a pact that you can confess and share your most intimate thoughts without feeling judged or having the other person attempt to explain away your feelings.
Try the ‘Heart Lock-in’. This technique was devised by doctors at the US Institute of HeartMath. Close your eyes and visualise your heart beating in your chest. Recall a feeling of love and tenderness you have for someone. Then gently send that feeling to yourself and imagine your heart absorbing it. If your mind wanders, return to the feelings in your heart.
Redirect the anger. If someone has seriously compromised you, then focusing on justice, rather than forgiveness, may be more appropriate. We would not have organisations such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) if a parent hadn’t taken her rage and turned it into a creative instrument for change. Your response to extreme anger could be volunteering or establishing a fundraiser for disadvantaged youth. That way, your anger creates a world that reflects your values.
YOUR SAY: Do you sufffer from bouts of anger? How do you deal with them? Tell us below…
Filled with a desire to help childless couples, Jackie has borne an amazing 11 babies.
As soon as you walk into Jackie Smith’s house, it’s clear you’re in a family home. Toys and children’s DVDs are stacked in a corner, and smiling faces beam out from pictures on the mantelpiece and walls.
But while you might only count six children in the family photos, Jackie has actually given birth to 11 babies — the remaining five were surrogate births, with another two still in the planning. She’s also donated her eggs to childless couples and, at just 39, says she’s spent much of the past 20 years pregnant.
“I know I won’t be able to be a surrogate for much longer,” she says. “But I’ve had my own wonderful family and am determined to keep helping those who need me as long as I can.”
Married at 19 to husband Kevin, Jackie had her first child — also named Kevin — soon after. Caroline followed a year later.
“About three months after Caroline was born, I started longing for another baby. I managed to persuade Kevin that we should have a third child and Michael was born three years later. When I held him in my arms I was so thrilled. But only weeks later I fell pregnant again and miscarried, so that started me wanting another baby.
“Lorraine was born two years later and it was then that I threw out all the cots, baby clothes and prams, thinking I wouldn’t need them any more. I was happy with my little family.”
An egg donor
When Lorraine was just four months old, Jackie read about an urgent need for egg donation.
“The thought of being childless was terrible to me,” says Jackie. “I had my four beautiful children and couldn’t imagine life without them.
“Over the next few years I donated more than 50 eggs … I even got an anonymous card from one couple thanking me for making it possible for their baby to be born.”
In 1996, Jackie read a story about a woman who acted as a surrogate and she decided she wanted to help more couples.
“The first woman I acted as a surrogate for had had a hysterectomy for medical reasons,” she says.
“I felt an overwhelming need to help her and her husband have their own baby.”
Using sperm from the husband, which was artificially inseminated, Jackie became pregnant and nine months later gave birth to a boy.
“The joy on their faces when I handed over the baby was unbelievable,” smiles Jackie. “It was a roller-coaster ride of emotion for me. Carrying a child for all that time, then giving it away … but their happiness made it all worthwhile.”
For the full story, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale June 16).
Your say:
Would you ever consider being a surrogate mother? Have your say below…
The actress opens up about her new TV show, her kids and how her ex Charlie Sheen is broken and can’t be fixed.**
Denise Richards reveals her private world in her new TV reality show, but she goes one step further in this interview with Woman’s Day — her most sensational in the three years since she filed for divorce from her husband Charlie Sheen.
Speaking on the eve of the launch of her new E! Channel show Denise Richards: It’s Complicated, her eyes brim with tears as she talks about the adversity she’s faced since separating from Charlie in 2005.
Striving as a single mum to raise her two young girls, Denise, 37, watched helplessly as her beloved mother Joni died last November after an 18-month battle with cancer. Today, Denise asks Woman’s Day readers to be her judge …
**You’re 37 years old. Do you worry about your age where actresses are considered past their ‘sell by date’ after 40?
** I don’t feel 37 but I’m also very realistic. I am 37! And I’m not ashamed of it. I mean, I’m sure no-one wants to get old. Who the hell wants to have their face and ass drop to the floor?! But I’m not 22; new to Hollywood and trying to be a big, big movie star. I’m 37; I have girls to raise, and that’s my first priority over anything.
**Reflecting on your early days in Hollywood, would you have done anything differently?
** I had no idea that my life would turn out like this. I did very well so young, doing movies like Starship Troopers and Wild Things, and all the stuff that came with doing Bond was amazing. So, as far as my career, I’m very happy. And then, right after I got married, and had the girls, I took time off, and wanted to. I think that when I was younger, my career was my priority. I wasn’t married; I didn’t have children so it was nothing for me to just go on location for however long it was. I didn’t have any responsibilities. There’s a sense of freedom when you’re that age but I would never trade what I have now to go back. I love being responsible and being a mum and having a home and that’s what I want in my life now.
**As your girls get older, do you look forward to getting involved in traditional things like joining the school PTA?
** I don’t know about the PTA but I’m involved in Sam’s nursery school and Lola and I go to Mummy-and-Me. I do everything that my own mum did when I was a kid; baking cookies and we have play-dates — and I play with them too, without other kids!
**You have such a sexy image, I don’t think people think of you in the kitchen, baking cookies…
**That’s the other thing I think people will be surprised at watching the show. I’m from Illinois, and I was raised very differently than living in Los Angeles. Family is very important to me and, now that my dad’s moved in, he does all the cooking and we have dinner together every single night at the same time. I get up with the girls every morning and I put them to bed every night.
**So you don’t have an army of nannies and housekeepers to help out?
** My ex says I have caretakers and 20 nannies and this and that, but that’s not true. I only have help when I’m working. I don’t want someone else raising my kids. I enjoy it. I’m up at five every day. I’m a morning person and I like to get up before the girls so I can have my first cup of coffee, check my e-mails and have that time to myself before the girls wake up.
**Charlie tried to prevent your daughters from appearing on your TV show. How do you answer the criticism that you’re exploiting them?
** We’re not on a set. I’m not driving them to a set of a TV show. We’re at home and, you know, if they’re eating their breakfast we would film it, and they don’t notice that.
**Will you encourage your girls to pursue Hollywood careers if they ask?
** I think I would wait until they’re older. I’ll cross that bridge when it comes. Right now they want to be veterinarians. They’ve never mentioned that they want to be in TV or movies. Right now it’s all about animals.
**It seems like you’ve always been attracted to the bad boys. Is this something you’re looking to change?
** You know, honestly, when I met Charlie he was not a bad boy. And Richie’s definitely not a bad boy. He’s a great dad and a good guy. It’s everyone else who says I’m attracted to those kind of guys. They were both great, otherwise I wouldn’t have married Charlie if he wasn’t nice, and Richie was a great guy.
**What do you hope for in the future?
** I honestly take one day at a time. I hope to just continue to live in the moment. I never in a million years thought I’d be 37 years old, divorced with two kids. I never thought my mother would pass away at 54 years of age. I never thought I’d be talking about the perception of me in the press three years later. So I don’t know what’s going to happen. I enjoy life. I have two beautiful healthy daughters, and I just take each day as it comes.
**And you obviously relish being a mother?
** I love them so much and I just want to be there for the girls. They’re so young and I’ll never get these years back with them.
**On your TV show we see you going on a disastrous blind date. Is it difficult to meet guys?
** It’s not hard to meet someone but its hard to date when you’re a celebrity because if you’re out to dinner with someone and someone takes your picture, you’re automatically in a ‘relationship’, and being a single mum if I have private dates at home, you know, and I don’t want to bring someone home to my girls. So it’s very hard. It’s hard being a single mum dating but let alone when people know who you are and people can take your picture and put a label on it. It’s hard.
**As a single mum, do you now look for different qualities in a man?
** Absolutely. I definitely want a man who’s good with kids because we’re a package deal.
**And it’s always sad when a father isn’t there to share all those special moments with their children— like their first word or their first step…
** In the beginning, when I was first separated, it was sad to me that I didn’t have their dad there to see them walk for the first time or go to different things but I would never have gotten that with their dad. So to me now it’s normal, and I’m glad that I’m there. But they also had my mum and my dad who were very close to them so they had them instead. And they have a lot of love within my family.
**What’s your favourite times with your daughters?
** I love when they first wake up in the morning. Usually they’re in a very good mood. I love when they first get up, I love swimming with them, I love playing with their dolls with them. They love to go shopping, and they’re fun and they get all dressed up with their purses. They’re very girly — they love coming to photo shoots and playing with the make-up. They’re very girly girls. I love doing anything with them. They’re a lot of fun.
**You’re in great shape. What’s your fitness routine?
** I do Pilates. For my body type, I’ve found that’s the best work-out. And also the elliptical for cardio. I have an elliptical machine at home, and also I have a Pilates instructor and a Pilates machine. When I’m really consistent, I do Pilates four or five times a week. I found that after having two babies, that was the best exercise for getting back into shape.
**You got back into shape instantly after both your girls.
** Look at my dad — he’s so thin! It runs in my family.
**What’s your beauty routine?
** I use Dr Lancer’s skin-care products. And I use sunscreen every day. I find that really helps.
**Being a single mum leaves little time for a good night’s sleep. How do you cope?
** I’ve learned to function on very little sleep. When you have two kids its hit or miss. Every day is different. I used to need eight hours sleep but I’ve learned to function on less. I have George, the Chihuahua, on my bed sometimes — but we can’t have all of them on the bed. There’s too many.
**What kind of feedback have you had from your show?
** I think everyone is surprised and most people say they had no idea how normal I am. And they all love my dad.
For more of this interview, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale June 16).
Katie forced to live under 24-7 surveillance in her super-secure new mansion.
As Tom Cruise proudly showed off his new $45 million home to friends at an extravagant A-list Hollywood housewarming party, Katie Holmes cut a fragile-looking figure as she contemplated life in the fortress-like compound, in which few of her movements will go unnoticed, and where no-one can come or go without passing through massive security.
While the couple appeared tense and uncomfortable with each other when caught off-guard by a photographer on the set of Will Smith’s new film Seven Pounds, they were all smiles as they greeted the who’s who of Hollywood to celebrate the completion of their new showpiece home.
Hidden cameras
But insiders say Katie has privately expressed her disquiet about her future life in the new house, which Tom says he built for her and their daughter Suri.
It’s swarming with video surveillance equipment, including tiny cameras hidden in lights and wall switches aimed at keeping the family safe from stalkers and anti-Scientology fanatics, and Katie’s every move will be watched. Her sheltered life in the house is being compared to that of a bird in a gilded cage.
“Katie is living the life of a queen, but that of a queen trapped in a castle,” a Cruise source told top-selling US magazine Star. “She doesn’t even get to drive herself around town, since Tom wants her to be chauffeured everywhere and followed by bodyguards.”
For the full story, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale June 16).
In a candid interview with Woman’s Day, Aussie living legend Rolf Harris talks of love, art, family and why this might be his last working visit to his beloved homeland.
The 28-year-old father of two has a burgeoning solo career, a new life in Australia with fiancée Delta Goodrem, and the hosting role on a football reality show.
Filled with a desire to help childless couples, Jackie has borne an amazing 11 babies.
Kirstie Alley: ‘Why I’ve gained 15kg’
Kirstie speaks about her weight gain, four months after she was dumped as the face of diet company Jenny Craig. The 57-year-old actress confesses her eating habits have changed since she stopped eating prepared Jenny Craig meals.
Celeb baby bump watch
Lisa-Marie Presley and Nicole Kidman.
Exclusive: Jeff Fenech’s wife begs, ‘Don’t Fight Again’
Yellow Wiggle: ‘The illness that killed my Wiggles career’
Pictures: Luke White (shot on location at the Oakley Court Hotel in Windsor, UK).
Aussie living legend Rolf Harris talks candidly to Woman’s Day.
He’s a much-loved national treasure. With his trademark wobble-board and quirky songs like Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport, Rolf Harris has been bringing his unique brand of entertainment to the world since the early 1960s and is now ingrained in all our hearts.
On the eve of his induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame and a nostalgic concert series at the Sydney Opera House, Rolf sat down for a reflective chat with Woman’s Day. He talks of love, art, family and why, possibly, this might be his last working visit to his beloved homeland.
You’re performing at the Opera House soon.
Yes, I’m at the Playhouse Theatre there. The dates are December 9-21. The show is basically a journey through my life.
It only seems like yesterday you were here for the very first Opera House concert back in 1973.
It’s hard to credit. Time sure flies.
Will this be quite an emotional time, knowing this might be your last tour in Australia?
Yes, it really will be a big one. The nice thing is I’ll have all the guys around me, the band I’ve worked with on all the tours that I did before in Australia. They’ll all be there, except for one of the men who has since died. But all the rest of the marvellous musicians will be there.
Your paintings have brought so much joy. Remember those shows on TV where you painted those massive paintings?
They were huge. I’m thrilled with the joy my paintings have brought. It’s nice to have gotten to the stage where I’m doing an annual exhibition of my own paintings now, which is really good. When I was a little kid and I was asked, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” I’d say, “I’m going to be an artist.” My mother told me I’d always leave a little pause, then say, “And a good one.”
Is it fair to say you paint from the heart?
[Laughs] Yes, definitely.
Is that when you’re most content — painting?
It’s hard to decide. I love that, but I also get a terrific buzz from entertaining people. The actual feeling of looking people in the eye and performing to them and with them and getting their response and feedback… I get a great charge out of that.
When you painted the Queen, it was almost as if you were two old mates having a yarn at the pub.
It was very good and a lot of that was down to her reaction as well. Her friendship, her warmth. We were just chatting away amongst ourselves.
She obviously likes you. Did you feel an affinity with her straight away?
I certainly did. She was at pains to put us all at ease very rapidly, so that was so good.
You loved her hands?
Yes. I was very pleased with the way I captured them. I was certainly aware by her hands that she was an 80-year-old person. The hands had a terrific amount of character in them, I felt. And that reflects her.
Is it true you want to paint our Crown Princess Mary of Denmark?
I thought she would be wonderful. I was trying to get the BBC interested in that, but at the moment they seem to be completely involved in reality shows and seem to doing all those reality things, and anything with a creative element in it you’re hard pressed to sell. That’s the way the world is going.
You said last time we chatted you’d love to paint Michael Parkinson, “with his expressive, craggy face”. Have you?
[Laughs.] He’s got wrinkles on wrinkles. He would be just wonderful, he would a cracking subject. He just lives about a hundred yards up the road from me. But I haven’t managed to snare him yet.
What happens to you when you’re performing? It’s as if you have an overwhelming love for your audience.
Yes, you try and see the nice things about everything around you. You try and get the reality and the emotion and the warmth. I like songs to have a story and I like to get that story across. I particularly like involving the audience in songs. When I did the Glastonbury shows, that was magic. I’ve been to the Glastonbury Festival four times now and they voted me as the best entertainer they’ve ever had there. The joy of those shows was the fact that everybody in the audience sang along at the tops of their voices. I couldn’t believe it. At one stage they were singing the words to Sun Arise so loudly I couldn’t distinguish the sound of my own voice. And when we finished the song I was in the wrong key. I was about a tone too high. It was wonderful, though, to hear them singing every word of every song.
That means they love you?
They all remembered the songs from their childhood, which was great.
You must have been on cloud nine, feeling so loved?
Yep, it was amazing.
For you, performing has always been about bringing joy, hasn’t it?
Yes, trying to have some fun and get people involved in that same sense of fun and enjoyment.
Do you have a favourite wobble board moment?
The scariest one was just before I did my first show in Sydney at the Rushcutters Bay stadium and the Everly Brothers were there and “Crash” Craddock, and I was on — this weird guy from Western Australia who just had a number-one hit with this weird song. I went into the Gents to have a quick nervous one and I propped the wobble board against the wall. And this fellow came in and said, “Oh, this is a wobble board, is it? How does it work?” And he picked it up and snapped off one of the corners of the thing. I stood there, my mouth dropped open and I thought, “Oh my God, I’m just about to go on and he’s destroyed the instrument.” He was highly embarrassed and got the hell out of there. But I went across and tried it out and it still worked, much to my relief.
Are we going to get a new song from you? Any more amazing covers like Stairway To Heaven?
[Laughs.] If you can think of one, tell me and I’ll do it. Think of one which I could make my own!
For more of this interview, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale June 16).
Your say:
What’s your favourite Rolf moment? Have your say below…
Brian McFadden still remembers how, as a young boy in Ireland, he yearned to one day become a professional footballer. Instead — and to the delight of millions of female fans — his other wish of becoming a pop star was granted. After success with boy band Westlife, the 28-year-old father of two has a burgeoning solo career and new life in Australia with fiancée Delta Goodrem, 23. Now he’s hosting Football Superstar, a reality show that sees 15 soccer hot shots vying for an A-League contract.
Congratulations on your new role with Football Superstar. Are you a fan of the sport?
Soccer’s always been my number one sport.
As a boy, did you want to be a professional player?
Every Irish boy wants to play for Manchester United or Liverpool or Arsenal.
Do you have a football idol?
My favourite footballer of all time is Roy Keane. He’s an Irish player.
Have you become a fan of Aussie football — AFL or rugby league?
I’m not really a rugby fan, but I love AFL, I’m a Collingwood fan. What I like about AFL is that there are different teams that are in the running to win it every year, not like football where you have two or three teams who are in contention every single year. It makes it a bit more competitive.
Do people assume you are a romantic because of the ballad you wrote about Delta, Like Only A Woman Can?
Not at all. Maybe before, but not now. I’m a songwriter and that’s just one song I’ve written. When they hear the rest of my songs they’ll realise there’s more to the album than just love songs. I was growing up with bands like Guns’ n’ Roses, Nirvana and Metallica, that’s what pop music was to me.
What are your girls like?
They love Duffy. When they came over here they are big fans of The Veronicas.
Do you they like your new album?
Yeah, they love it. They love Delta’s stuff, even more than my songs. They just love hearing her voice I think.
You’ve been able to share Australia with them this year. Did they enjoy being in Sydney?
They love it, they can’t wait to come back. They think it’s great.
Football Superstar screens Thursdays at 7.30pm on Foxtel’s Fox8 channel.
For more of this interview, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale June 16).
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