Countryfile presenter Anita Rani has candidly opened up about embracing her newfound independence and creating a “little sanctuary” in her long-owned flat following her split from husband Bhupi Rehal. The 46-year-old BBC star, who parted ways with her partner of 14 years last September, shared with Good Housekeeping the unexpected joy she’s found in her single status.
She said: “I feel like I’ve stepped into a place that I never, ever expected myself to be in. I’m in uncharted territory. I’m a single, Asian woman with no children, and do you know what? I love it! I’ve sort of got a blank slate in front of me, and that feels really good.”
Anita, who graced the dance floor on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, revealed that her marriage to Bhupi, whom she wed in 2009 after dating for a year, ended amicably as their demanding careers led them to grow apart.
The TV personality has since returned to a flat she purchased 20 years ago, transforming it into her personal haven: “I bought a flat about 20 years ago, which I kept for all these years, and I’ve moved back into it,” she told the publication. “When I first became single, a friend said, ‘You could make your little apartment like a Parisienne dream house’ and that’s exactly what I’ve done.”
“I have lovely cream drapes and white floorboards. My bedroom is dusky pink and I’ve turned my spare room into a dressing room. Just talking about it makes me happy! It’s my little sanctuary and it feels really important to have that.”
Anita also revealed the rushed nature of her wedding, admitting: “I just remember thinking, ‘Who is all this for?’ I was already 32 and I wasn’t getting any younger. Of course, they were all thinking about children too everyone apart from me, that is.”
Expressing her admiration for strong ladies, the presenter acknowledged: “I admire women who have an inner strength and power.”
She attributed her inspiration to an 82-year-old woman who boldly left her husband.
“That’s who I want to be,” Rani declared. “Someone who has bigger things to think about than the size of my nose.”
Discussing her debut novel, Baby Does A Runner, she highlighted its relevance to her personal experiences as a British-Asian woman raised in Northern England.
The novel traces the journey of the overworked and underappreciated single protagonist Baby, who ventures to India to uncover her family’s hidden past.
