When Dame Kelly Holmes stood atop the podium at the 2004 Athens Olympics, two gold medals around her neck, she was the picture of national triumph. Yet, appearing on the latest episode of HELLO!’s Second Act podcast with Ateh Jewel, the 55-year-old athlete reveals that her iconic winning smile masked a decade of deep personal turmoil.
The Pain Behind the Podium
Despite a glittering career in the British Army and international athletics, Kelly admits she has only found true happiness in the last few years. Before coming out as gay in 2022 at the age of 52, she struggled with self-harm and suicidal thoughts, fueled by the fear of living authentically.
The loss of her mother and closest ally, Pam, in 2017 became a catalyst for change. Following a breakdown, Kelly realized she was "self-sabotaging" to the point of not wanting to exist. "My mum wasn’t living her life because she wasn’t here, and I wasn’t living mine because I wasn’t being the Kelly Holmes I wanted to be," she reflects. In a powerful admission, she identifies her greatest achievement not as Olympic gold, but as her survival: “My proudest moment is being strong enough to want to carry on. I chose life.”
Embracing the Second Act
Now 55, Kelly describes her "Second Act" as a period of unprecedented freedom. Having stepped into her truth two years ago, she now wakes up with a positivity that eluded her during her competitive peak. She is now focused on making her 60s her best decade yet, grabbing every day with a "new vigour."
As a motivational speaker, she is now dedicated to helping other women in midlife rebrand their own next chapters. "Second Act is a freedom to be truly yourself, to be in the present and to know your value," she tells Ateh Jewel. "That’s what I want to share with people."
The Second Act podcast is part of HELLO!’s initiative to inspire women over 40 to embrace midlife as an exciting new beginning rather than a period of decline.
