The star opened up about how important the ITV show is to her with Coleen Nolan
Penny Lancaster admitted that she thinks her trauma would've probably remained a "secret" if it wasn't for Loose Women.
Loose Women: The Podcast was launched earlier this year, and each week has two different duos tackling topics close to their hearts, as well as answering viewers questions.
In the most recent episode, former model Penny Lancaster and Coleen Nolan joined forces as they sat down to discuss navigating blended families and how to deal with a friend flirting with your partner.
During the instalment, the ladies were asked what their most memorable moment on Loose Women has been over the years.
Penny shared: "I've always maintained that I've felt not only welcomed, but I feel I've always felt extremely safe on Loose Women. Yeah, you trust the team and production…
“I do remember my first ever show and it was when Spandau Ballet came on, and it was when we had all the sofas, there wasn't a desk, and I remember telling Rod about the guests that we were having on and Rod said, ‘Oh they love kicking a football backstage and here, give them one of my footballs, I’ll sign it for them’, so I remember sort of having it down by the side of my chair and talking to them about what it was like backstage for them with their kids coming out on tour.
"I felt like I had a connection as a panellist with our guests that was coming on. So straight away I kind of realised the beauty of Loose Women and the mix of different panellists they have on and the stories that we can share together that kind of blend both of our stories and backgrounds together. That was always memorable and of course it's always fun when Rod's on. Bring your husband to work day kind of thing!"
Emotionally Penny then added: "I suppose what really sticks in my mind, you were talking about the happy times that make you giggle, and they're always fabulous, but I guess it was, because I felt safe, when I talked about ‘Me Too’ and when that came out, and it was a story that I hadn't even told my parents about, and I hadn't talked about it in the briefing before, and I wasn't intending to talk about it, but it just came out on the show."
Holding Penny’s hand, Coleen replied: "It's an incredible show for that, isn't it? Because you think I'm fine with it or I'm not going to speak about it but like you said, I think there's an element of safety, and non-judgmental, and we're all going to be here for each other when that happens."
Penny continued: "I recognise how important it is to share stories about trauma that you've been through. I always sort of wear my heart on my sleeve and I find it really difficult to keep the tears back. But I know by sharing, it can help other people that have maybe gone through stuff. That was the whole point of Me Too. And the criticism of women coming forward about past abuse, that's historic abuse. You know, ‘Why didn't they speak about it sooner?’ But it's the fear and the judgment that you might get and sometimes it does take a long time for it to come out.’"
In 2017, Penny appeared on the panel of the ITV daytime show and opened up about her experience as a young model. She revealed: "In my late teens I had a job with a fashion designer and he invited me to an event. I was interested, I thought I'd get more work,
"I went with him and he said he had to stop at his apartment. He had a little bar in his apartment and said he'd pour me a drink while he went to pick up his bits." Penny then shared that she woke up, face down, to find the unnamed man on top of her in the bed.
She continued: "My drink was drugged and I can't remember much of what happened. I just know he was on top of me enjoying the experience, but I certainly wasn't. I don't remember much more. I was just naïve, I trusted him. I had never had sex at that point so it was a frightening thing. I didn't tell my mum and dad because I thought they'd say, "What on earth were you doing going back to his house?" But he was I guy I'd worked with, and he promised I'd meet other people. You try to pretend it never happened... I was too afraid to tell anybody."
Back on the podcast, Coleen then asked if she had never done the show if her story would've ever been shared, to which Penny answered: "Probably not. It sort of felt like a secret, something sordid that you best not to talk about. Like with everything like menopause, ‘Oh you shouldn't really talk about it’. You know, it's those private things. It's good, it’s good to talk."
