Loose Women presenter Judi Love has opened up about her journey to embracing her battle with the learning difficulty dyslexia. The issue, as well as other neurodivergent conditions, has gained increased visibility as public figures have begun to share their own diagnoses.
Judi, alongside other British celebrities like Matt Baker, Jamie Oliver, James Martin, and Keira Knightley, has played a part in empowering others to be more forthcoming about life with such conditions; which include ADHD, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia, all under the umbrella of neurodivergence.
In conversation with co-star Kaye Adams on ‘Loose Women – The Podcast’, Judi candidly discussed her struggles with dyslexia throughout school, university, and her comedy career. She expressed how embracing her dyslexia publicly has been transformative: “There’s been periods where I’ve had to do shows, or when I went to university, I felt really nervous about it, and that’s why I’m at a stage in life where I say openly, ‘I’m dyslexic’ to take the power back.”
She further disclosed: “And it really knocked my confidence for quite a long while. I think it stopped me doing things that I actually wanted to do. And then you start to realise there’s other people that are dyslexic.”
Judi opened up about the emotional turmoil she experienced due to her struggles with reading aloud, stating: “There was obviously something different. I was great when it came to performance and when I actually had the knowledge, but if I had to go read in front of people, I mean, from the pit of my stomach even to think about it now, I would get nervous, even now I get nervous.”
Reflecting on her past experiences at school and university, Judi confessed that her nerves about reading in public have persisted even in her current TV work, revealing: “If I’ve got to read something through autocue I get a little bit nervous.”
Despite these challenges, she has taken proactive steps to address them: “But as I’ve said, I’ve taken the power back because I’ve said it and then I’ve found ways to cope with it, so that’s parts where I’ve felt like, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t know if I belong, I don’t know how I fit in’ and I try to just confront it as best as I can.”
Looking ahead to her future goals and ambitions, Judi voiced her determination to not let her condition hinder her progress, sharing: “I’m trying to make it not stop me from moving forward in life.”
She aims to pursue a PhD and continue inspiring others by overcoming her struggles. While still grappling with lingering insecurities, Judi pushes forward to pursue her passions: “But as much as I’m a loud and bubbly person, there is still those little levels of insecurity when it comes to that.
“But I try my best to push forward so it doesn’t halt me and stop me from doing things that I really am passionate about, because it might encourage somebody else.”