Jamie Laing Q+A

What was it like being the Kidsmas snowman?

It was great hanging out with the children! They’re wonderful and were all really excited about Christmas. That’s why it’s so great to be a part of the Kidsmas campaign. If being pelted with velcro snowballs is what it takes to get people to set up their Kidsmas Snowman fundraising page, it’s a small price to pay.

Why did you decide to get involved with Kidsmas?

I’m so pleased to announce that I’ve recently become a Barnardo’s ambassador. I think people forget that as the UK’s largest children’s charity, Barnardo’s does an incredible amount of work. They help so many young people including children who have been bullied or are living with mental health issues. I’ve done bits and pieces for charities before but the work Barnardo’s does really hit home for me. 

I especially wanted to get involved around Christmas - for children this should be the most magical time of year, so any kind of happiness we can bring to them is so important. 

Why is it important for people to support Barnardo’s Kidsmas appeal this year?

I was told once that there are two levels of happiness: the lower level and the higher level. The lower level is about power, wealth and money, all those things you think you want - but when you achieve those things, you actually find that they don’t make you happy. The higher level, on the other hand, is actually about helping people, building relationships and being loyal. That helped me realise that helping others is really important, especially at Christmas time. Christmas isn’t about receiving, it’s about giving. Not just giving to your family, but giving to strangers and people you don’t even know who are less fortunate than you is really important. That’s why people should get involved with Kidsmas - you’re helping children who really need it, and that’s one of the most amazing gifts you can give at Christmas. 

What’s your favourite thing about Christmas? 

My favourite thing about Christmas is spending time with my family. We all live such busy lives and we don’t get together as often as we should, so having the opportunity to spend a solid week together is epic, I love that! I remember being so excited for Christmas as a child - one of my favourite presents ever was a spacehopper! I’m so lucky to have such wonderful memories of Christmas and it’s upsetting to think that some children won’t have families to spend it with and won’t have any presents unwrap. 

What will you be doing for Christmas this year?

I’ll be spending it with my Dad. We’re going on holiday which we haven’t done since I was about 17 so he’s decided to get all the family together, which I’m really looking forward to.

You’ve spoken openly in the past about your struggles with mental health such as anxiety. What advice would you give to people experiencing anxiety over the Christmas period?

Anxiety hits you without warning and it can hit you in so many different ways. At Christmas it can be difficult because it’s meant to be the time when you feel at your happiest - and sometimes you just don’t feel that way. The first thing I would say is that anxiety is just a cloudy day. And when you have a cloudy day there is blue sky above that cloud. It’s just about finding a way of getting to that blue sky. Sometimes sitting with it, understanding that it will pass, and knowing that it’s not going to be there forever is important. I find exercise can really help, but speaking about it and being open is vital. People are scared to speak about it, especially at Christmas when you’re meant to be having all this fun. Because trust me, if you’re feeling anxious, there are thousands of others who are feeling exactly the same thing and all just want to talk about it. 

What can fans look forward to seeing you doing in the new year?

My sweet company Candy Kittens is launching loads of different new flavours which we’re really excited about and I’m doing lots of live shows with Private Parts, my podcast. I also recently started a new podcast called MOVE, which stands for Motivation, Opportunity, Vision, Entrepreneurship. The idea behind it is to inspire the younger generation to go out there and achieve their dreams because I believe that if you put your mind to something you can achieve it. I’ll also hopefully be doing more stand-up and much more work with Barnardo’s - it’s going to be a busy year! 

Who has been your favourite guest on your Private Parts podcast so far and who would be your ideal guest? 

My favourite guest so far has been Tom Lucy, who’s an amazing comedian and also a Barnardo’s ambassador. I also had Jamie Demetriou, from Stath Lets Flats on Channel 4, and his sister Tash, who were both very funny. 

My dream podcast guest would be Paul Rudd - I honestly think he’s the best person alive. I’d ask him why he’s so great and why he doesn’t age - I want whatever serum he’s using!