Whitbread was born in Stoke Newington, London,[1] to a Turkish Cypriot mother and Greek Cypriot father.[2] She grew up in a series of children's homes, occasionally being left in the care of her abusive biological mother. In a 2003 interview with The Observer, Whitbread said, "It was a nightmare of a childhood and it was only because I loved sport so much that I got through it and met my true mother."[2]