Nadia Sawalha on being a loose woman and her love for gin

We speak to the TV star about being on the Loose Woman Panel and how she discovered her love for our favourite spirit!

We love watching you on Loose Women! What’s the best thing about being on the show?

I get to hang out with a great group of women and shoot the breeze. We also run great campaigns like our Body Stories and Never Too Late To Tell – campaigns that really make a difference. It’s live, which is always thrilling, and I get to both laugh and cry regularly. Overall, it’s a pretty damn fine job!

You’re also an accomplished chef – what’s your favourite meal to share with friends?

I might have won Celebrity Master Chef, but I am in no means a chef! I am just a good home cook who loves to feed people. Cooking is my de-stresser! 

I love to cook middle eastern food on special occasions – I’m rather good at meze, an array of dishes served in small plates, sometimes as many as 30.

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with gin?

I fell in love with gin with my first boyfriend, haha! He was a very sophisticated chap, really – pouring top-rate G&Ts at 18. He would take great care with the glass, ice and sliced lemons. Bless him, I fell out of love with him but my love affair with gin continued!

Who’s your favourite person to share a G&T with, and why?

My friend and fellow loose woman, Kaye Adams! It has to be said she mixes the best G&Ts I’ve ever had. But they’re very strong -- there’s only a splash of tonic!

You’ve written a new book with your best friend. Can you tell us about it?

Yes, Kaye and I have written two books together! One is Disasterchef, for cooks who can’t cook, and the other one is Parent Alert, which is all about how to keep your kids safe on the internet. Scary stuff!

Disasterchef and Parent Alert are both out now.