She once vowed she’d never wear a bikini again after turning 55.
But now 60 years old and Emma Forbes has done a complete volte-face, saying she feels more confident than ever in her swimwear.
The presenter took to her Instagram to share a sizzling snap of her flaunting her incredible figure in a skin-tight black swimsuit on the beach, as she declared she was ‘heading into 2026 finally feeling my best’.
In the lengthy caption, she explained that her toned physique was the result of her undergoing a lifestyle overhaul, which saw her switch up her diet and exercise habits.
Emma proudly explained that she ‘feels better at 60 than I did at 40 or 50’ after staying dedicated to her fitness journey for a year, quipping it was ‘better late than never’.
While she added to her followers that on the way she’d discovered a ‘total passion’ for eating and cooking healthily and had trained as a nutritionist to better understand how to eat well.
She once vowed she’d never wear a bikini again after turning 55. But now 60 years old and Emma Forbes has done a complete volte-face, saying she feels more confident than ever in her swimwear
She explained that her toned physique was the result of a lifestyle overhaul, which saw her switch up her diet and exercise habits , saying that she ‘feels better at 60 than I did at 40 or 50’ (pictured in 2011)
She penned: ‘I can say it’s been one hell of a journey to get here ..and wish I hadn’t waited til my 60th year .. but better late than never?!!’
Detailing her health regime, she added: ‘Its [sic] takes a village.. hard work… dedication.. and a commitment to myself.
‘I knew that there were no shortcuts for me I wanted to do it through nutrition and exercise but as a lifestyle change not a passing fad.
‘I didn’t want to post pictures with filters. I posted bits during the year of how I eat, cook and it’s become my total utter passion – trained as a nutritionist not to practise but to fuel my knowledge.
‘I feel better at 60 than I did at 40 or 50. The aim is to continue.. to set realistic but high goals to keep moving, gaining muscle strength, toning and keeping at a healthy weight.
‘Keeping going on sleep and making sure it’s a priority …the wind down process… knowing that its all the jigsaw pieces together that work.’
Emma was flooded with praise from both her fans and famous pals, with Simon Cowell’s fiancé Lauren Silverman commenting: ‘Emma you look amazing!’
Loose Women star Denise Welch echoed: ‘You look incredible Emma’, while talk show host Trisha Goddard raved: ‘Yay! Weight training and a good diet is brilliant! The physically stronger we are going into our 60s, the better!
In the caption, the presenter declared she was ‘heading into 2026 finally feeling my best’ after staying dedicated to her fitness journey for a year, quipping it was ‘better late than never’
Emma was flooded with praise from both her fans and famous pals, with Simon Cowell’s fiancé Lauren Silverman commenting: ‘Emma you look amazing!’
‘Too many people concentrate on losing weight when losing muscle is way more serious. You, dearest, friend have got it SO right. ❤️’
It marks a complete U-turn for Emma, who was in a very different place back in 2022, when she swore she was ditching bikinis forever because her confidence was ‘not what it was’.
Speaking to The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, she admitted she’s struggled with feeling ‘insecure’ of her body, criticising digitally-altered snaps on social media for exacerbating the issue.
‘The thing that annoys me most on Instagram are unrealistic photos with filters,’ she said. ‘It can only make one feel insecure — and at 56 your confidence is not what it was.
‘I accept that everything takes longer and is harder to achieve post-55 and you just have to do your best, keep on top of health checks and use your gut instinct.’
Following her change of heart, she now describes herself in her Instagram bio as a ‘Trained holistic wellness & nutrition coach with a passion for cooking & healthy lifestyle.’
Emma – who is mum to Lily, 29, and Sam, 26, with her wealthy financier husband Graham Clempson – has previously explained that part of her dedication to keeping up her healthy routine is because she refuses to ever get cosmetic surgery.
She has frequently insisted that her age-defying looks are all-natural, admitting that she is too scared to go under the knife for fear it would go wrong or that she’d ‘get hooked’.
It marks a complete U-turn for Emma, who was in a very different place back in 2022, when she swore she was ditching bikinis forever because her confidence was ‘not what it was’ (seen in 2019)
She has frequently insisted that her age-defying looks are all-natural, admitting that she is too scared to go under the knife for fear it would go wrong or that she’d ‘get hooked’ (seen on Live And Kicking with John Barrowman and Andi Peters in 1993)
‘There’s no plastic surgery going on here!’ she declared during an appearance on Lorraine back in 2019.
‘I’m not judgmental of people that do it, but I am that person that it would go horribly wrong on, so I’m too frightened and I just don’t do it.’
Writing in the Mail back in 2013, the former Live and Kicking star explained how she felt ’empowered’ in only using natural methods, insisting there was ‘an elegance in ageing’.
Emma said: ‘In the past 18 months, I have taken myself in hand and turned myself totally around. And, boy, do I feel empowered and proud of myself, because I’ve done it all naturally. No Botox. No liposuction. No surgery.
‘Part of the reason for my regime is because I am determined I will never have surgery. I don’t want to start down that route because it’s a slippery slope.
‘I have never even had Botox — which, believe me, puts me in a minority among women I know. It’s partly because I’m frightened of surgery and would never voluntarily have an anaesthetic.
‘Also, I know too many women who have started tinkering with their appearance and got hooked. It means they are never really satisfied. It’s like walking into a sweet shop: you start eating — and you can’t stop.’
‘But most of all, I honestly believe that there is an elegance in ageing,’ she added. ‘Just look at my mother, the actress Nanette Newman. At 78, she is still naturally beautiful.
‘Of course, it’s tempting to go in for radical surgery, particularly if you’ve appeared on TV, as I did, and want to again. It becomes the norm. You stand out like a sore thumb if you aren’t constantly having work done.
‘I stepped away from my TV career when I started my family. I’ve considered reviving it again, but I would need to invest in surgery in order to look younger.
‘And I’m just not prepared to do that because I don’t want to get sucked into pretending to be 20 again.’
