As the original teenage wild child, she was famed for living a life of drug and sex-fuelled excess.
But few at the time realised Amanda de Cadenet was also struggling with an addiction to food and would melt Wispa chocolate bars together with a hairdryer so she could eat dozens at a time.
It is believed to be the first time that the former presenter of Channel 4’s chaotic youth programme The Word, now a 40-year-old mother-of-three, has revealed she endured ‘food issues’ as a lonely teenager.
'I was a workaholic, I had food issues, and I had body issues. I was in a lot of pain. My parents didn’t recognise what was going on.
‘When I was at boarding school, I would get a multi-pack of Wispas, melt them with a hairdryer and eat them in one go. I was so lonely.'
Two years later, she married Duran Duran guitarist John Taylor. As a youngster, Miss de Cadenet earned a reputation for her hard partying, drug-taking and sexual promiscuity.
But she insists she sobered up after having a daughter, Atalanta, now 20, with Taylor.
She said: 'Now I never think about my life 20 years ago. I got sick of being famous. It is not a desirable 'job'.
'Young girls want to be famous now. That’s disturbing. There should be a handbook. It does a number on your head.
'I got sober when I was pregnant. I got into meditation and sobriety and living authentically. My daughter gave me a whole new perspective.'
She added: 'I grew up in front of the camera from an early age. It distorts your perception of who you are. Having a lot of attention at a young age is not healthy.'
Miss de Cadenet and Taylor separated in 1995 and divorced two years later.
She added: 'The men in my life have given me the most heartache. And my women friends have held me together.'
Following the breakup of her first marriage, Miss de Cadenet dated film star Keanu Reeves before marrying The Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi, with whom she has twins.
Full feature appears in the may issue of Red Magazine, on sale 3 April. For more, visit Redonline.co.uk.
But few at the time realised Amanda de Cadenet was also struggling with an addiction to food and would melt Wispa chocolate bars together with a hairdryer so she could eat dozens at a time.
It is believed to be the first time that the former presenter of Channel 4’s chaotic youth programme The Word, now a 40-year-old mother-of-three, has revealed she endured ‘food issues’ as a lonely teenager.
Teenage kicks: Amanda de Cadenet has admitted that she drank and experimented excessively as a youngster
She told Red Magazine: 'I had a rough patch around the age of 15, I drank too much. My experimentation was excessive. 'I was a workaholic, I had food issues, and I had body issues. I was in a lot of pain. My parents didn’t recognise what was going on.
‘When I was at boarding school, I would get a multi-pack of Wispas, melt them with a hairdryer and eat them in one go. I was so lonely.'
Fighting
on: the former presenter of Channel 4¿s chaotic youth programme The
Word, now a 40-year-old mother-of-three, has revealed she endured ¿food
issues¿ as a lonely teenager
The daughter of a former
racing car driver, Miss de Cadenet was sent to a boarding school in
Wiltshire but frequently escaped to attend celebrity parties in London.
The full interview is in Red magazine
She
began a career as a model aged just 14, and at 17 began presenting cult
Channel 4 show The Word alongside Terry Christian and Mark Lamarr.Two years later, she married Duran Duran guitarist John Taylor. As a youngster, Miss de Cadenet earned a reputation for her hard partying, drug-taking and sexual promiscuity.
But she insists she sobered up after having a daughter, Atalanta, now 20, with Taylor.
She said: 'Now I never think about my life 20 years ago. I got sick of being famous. It is not a desirable 'job'.
'Young girls want to be famous now. That’s disturbing. There should be a handbook. It does a number on your head.
'I got sober when I was pregnant. I got into meditation and sobriety and living authentically. My daughter gave me a whole new perspective.'
She added: 'I grew up in front of the camera from an early age. It distorts your perception of who you are. Having a lot of attention at a young age is not healthy.'
Miss de Cadenet and Taylor separated in 1995 and divorced two years later.
Still on good terms: Miss de Cadenet calls Taylor, seen here together in 1991, her 'number one ex-husband'
But
the presenter – who now hosts a digital TV chat show called The
Conversation - insisted they are now on good terms, saying: ‘He is
number one ex-husband, he makes me laugh so much. We have this blended
family. We’ve worked hard at it.’She added: 'The men in my life have given me the most heartache. And my women friends have held me together.'
Following the breakup of her first marriage, Miss de Cadenet dated film star Keanu Reeves before marrying The Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi, with whom she has twins.
Full feature appears in the may issue of Red Magazine, on sale 3 April. For more, visit Redonline.co.uk.
Famous
friends: Amanda now hosts a digital TV chat show called The
Conversation, which has seen her chat to pals including Demi Moore