Television personality Carol Vorderman has launched a powerful new campaign tackling the stigma surrounding women, ageing, and self-expression, proudly reclaiming and redefining the controversial label MILF.
Reclaiming the Label: From Slang to Empowerment
The former Countdown star, now 65, has partnered with department store JD Williams to explore public attitudes towards getting older. Central to the discussion is the term MILF, widely known as an acronym for 'Mum I'd Like To F**k'. Vorderman, however, proposes a radical new meaning.
'Today the word MILF should stand for midlife is living fearlessly,' she declared, explaining her personal journey to embrace the term. 'I always took it as it was meant to be a bit of a compliment... Sometimes words take on a new meaning.'
Her stance is backed by new research commissioned by JD Williams. A survey of 2,000 women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, conducted by Mortar Research, revealed a complex emotional divide. While 30% of respondents are offended by the term, a significant 29% secretly enjoy being called a MILF, with 24% feeling flattered and 12% finding it makes them feel sexy.
Defying Ageist Backlash: The BAFTA Dress That Shocked a Nation
Vorderman, renowned for her confident and stylish ensembles, recalled a pivotal moment that highlighted society's harsh judgement of older women's fashion choices. In 2000, at the age of 39, she wore a short blue dress to the BAFTA awards.
'Well, you would think I'd murdered my grandmother,' she remembered of the intense public and media backlash. 'BBC did a special Kilroy show about it, asking if a woman aged 39 should wear a dress above the knee.'
She was branded 'mutton dressed as lamb', a criticism she now dismisses as 'nonsense'. Reflecting on that experience and the broader culture, she stated, 'There was such a stigma associated with women who dare get to 35, dressing in a certain way.'
Finding Power and Confidence in Midlife
In an inspirational profession about her current outlook, Vorderman shared her hard-won wisdom on body image and happiness. 'I have never felt more at home with my body and my attitude to life,' she said. 'I think there is a genuine feeling of power and confidence that can come to you.'
She encourages women to support one another and reject comparative anxieties. 'When you get to your mid 60s as I am now, you think what on earth was all that about? You should appreciate the age that you are.'
Her daily mantra, shared with her children Katie, 32, and Cameron, 28, is simple: 'Are you happy? Marks out of ten – accept that seven out of ten is a win and you've honestly won life.' She added, 'I've met billionaires and Hollywood stars, and many of them aren't happy. Happiness is the real goal.'
The striking campaign imagery features Vorderman standing boldly beneath a neon 'MILF' sign, alongside six real midlife women modelling JD Williams' Valentine’s Lingerie Collection. Through this collaboration, she continues her mission as a body confidence campaigner, urging women to live fully and without fear.
