Former Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott has spoken of her guilt as a mother after landing her “dream” job as a lead presenter on Ski Sunday.
The 38-year-old, who competed in four Winter Olympics before retiring from international competition in 2014, has joined Ed Leigh on the BBC show.
She is currently filming in Switzerland away from her husband, fellow alpine ski racer Dougie Crawford, and their two sons – four-year-old Locki and two-year-old Cooper.
She told Hello! magazine: “I’ve been working on the show for five years but until now only as a guest. This is my first time as a lead.
“It was fun to step up and challenge myself. It was my dream as a young girl to win Olympic gold and then to work on Ski Sunday.
“I didn’t win the Olympics but I put my heart into that, too.”
Alcott last saw her sons on January 5 and will not see them again until the seven-part Ski Sunday series ends on February 21.
She said: “Part of me feels very guilty for being here, but I’m here to do a job. I’m here to try and provide escapism, and anyone else in my position would take every opportunity they could.
“But I’ve also got the guilt of not being a mum right now because the boys aren’t here.
“This week I went to do my washing, and when I took it out of the laundry, one of Cooper’s little merino socks was in there and it was tiny and I shrunk it, so it was even tinier, and I just started crying.
“And I just think, that’s fine, I’m supposed to miss them, it’s supposed to be a challenge.”
The boys are being looked after by her husband who is coaching up-and-coming skier Gigi Gorringe.
She said: “I would give anything to be able to share this experience with the boys, who are both really good little skiers.
“I send them videos anytime I’m doing anything fun and cool and they send me videos back.
“I am so lucky to have a husband who supports my dreams so much.
“It feels like we are young and dating again, when it was normal to spend so much time apart and miss each other.
“My telephone bill will be huge with all the nightly catching up we are doing.”
Read the full interview in Hello! magazine, out now.
