Former I'm A Celeb winner Vicky Pattison reveals her secret to a happy career
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There aren’t many fans of a lengthy commute, but Vicky Pattison ­reckons her 300-mile trek to the office is the secret to staying happy.
The I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! winner ­relocated back to her ­hometown, Newcastle, with businessman fiance John Noble last year, having settled in Essex – close to pal Ferne McCann – for a year.
The couple built their dream home together, but after a difficult time feeling “isolated” in their new digs in the North East, Vicky, 30, spends a few days every week down in London for work.
(Image: @vickypattison)
“I was living out of suitcases, living in hotels, working hard and defining myself by having a career for five years,” she explains.
“To go from that to a woman who lives in Newcastle, who doesn’t drive, who is stuck at home on my little estate waiting for John to finish work has been a real adjustment.
“I haven’t dealt with it very well. I got ­restless and I struggled with the transition. You can’t go from aggressive pursuit of your career to loafing overnight.”
(Image: Flynet)
Now, Vicky divides her time in the South for work – napping on the three-hour journey. “Now I work in London a couple of days a week, so when I go back I appreciate it. We’ll go for a nice meal, talk about our week and watch a film.
“I just need to keep one foot in the hustle and bustle that is London. That’s where my job is, that’s where my career is. I haven’t worked as hard as I have to abandon it.
“I love John with all my heart, and I’m so proud of the life we’re cultivating for ourselves in the North, but I need to keep my finger on the pulse down in London. Not just for me, but for my future self, and whatever family I might have.
(Image: Getty)
“I don’t want to have daughters and tell them I met a man and gave it all up.”
Vicky, who enlisted Say Yes to the Dress’s David Emanuel to help her choose THREE wedding dresses for her big day next year – says the pair hope to hear the pitter-patter of tiny paws.
“We’ve been discussing getting a dog,” she says. “John wants to start a family in the next few years but I want a dog first. Puppy steps.”