‘We’d been at breaking point.’ Geordie Shore’s Charlotte Crosby breaks silence on her relationship with Jake Ankers, the strains they never saw coming – and the romantic gesture that backfired

Charlotte Crosby first became famous in 2011 on the reality TV show Geordie Shore. She quickly won over viewers with her fun-loving personality, bold style, and willingness to be completely open and honest. She was the energetic heart of the show, known for being impulsive, a bit wild, and refreshingly genuine among her housemates.

Almost fifteen years later, she hasn’t changed much. Instead of wild parties, her life now revolves around family life in Newcastle, complete with the usual mess of diapers, jet lag, and being completely worn out.

Becoming famous has made Charlotte’s personal struggles much more visible. However, despite facing heartbreak, public criticism, loss, and moments of self-doubt, she’s come out of it all stronger, more stable, and, she says, happier than ever before.

Charlotte, a hugely popular reality TV personality with over 15 million social media followers, is incredibly busy at 35. Her new documentary, ‘Geordie Stories: Charlotte, Mam Of Two,’ shows what life is like after welcoming her second daughter, Pixi. The series follows Charlotte, her partner Jake Ankers, and their young daughter Alba as they deal with the challenges of being parents, moving house, and doing renovations. On top of all that, Charlotte travels to Australia to work as a judge – known as ‘The Boss’ – on the show ‘Aussie Shore,’ and she’s also organizing the very first sale for her clothing line.

She chuckles, admitting she probably took on too much. It was a tough time, especially since her baby, Pixi, was only two months old. Most people get a year off after having a baby, but as a self-employed person, she didn’t have that option. When you rely on your own income, it’s hard to turn down work. There’s always the worry that someone else will take the opportunity, and in her line of work, you have to keep moving forward or risk falling behind.

Charlotte offers a very frank look at her life, drawing on years of being in the public eye. Before she met Jake, she’d gone through a lot of emotional ups and downs – more than many people face in their entire lives. She’d been in several difficult relationships, including one with her Geordie Shore co-star Gaz Beadle, which left her feeling exhausted and doubting herself.

In 2016, she experienced a dangerous ectopic pregnancy, where a fertilized egg grew outside of the womb, and tragically lost a fallopian tube. This deeply traumatic event happened while her ex-partner was filming a reality show overseas, and she later shared that it had a lasting emotional impact on her.

After those difficult years, Charlotte tried to regain control by focusing on her appearance. She had cosmetic surgery, including a nose job and breast augmentation, and used facial fillers, all in hopes of boosting her confidence and escaping judgment. Unfortunately, these changes brought even more unwanted attention and online harassment instead of the relief she sought.

By the time she was in her early thirties and after several disappointing relationships, she started talking about learning to accept herself. She’d realized she was tired of striving for an impossible ideal. She felt worn out, didn’t trust easily, and believed love inevitably led to pain. But then she met Jake, and he changed her perspective. ‘I was stuck in a harmful cycle of being hurt and constantly worrying,’ she explains. ‘I actually thought that was normal for a relationship. Jake showed me it wasn’t, and he helped me recover from all of that.’

Despite everything she’s been through, she feels this is the most challenging time of her life, and her new show offers a look at how she’s dealing with it.

Having young children meant I had to take time away from work. It’s hard seeing colleagues at events and on shoots and wondering why you weren’t included. It’s not about being envious, but about worrying you’re falling behind. This industry changes quickly, and if you’re not available, someone else will take the opportunity. It’s easy to feel like you’ve been forgotten if you’re away for too long.

Honestly, I’ve followed Charlotte since the Geordie Shore days, and she’s always been amazing – books, fitness stuff, hosting shows, all of it! But seeing her become a mum? It’s just… everything. She’s said it herself, and it totally makes sense – she felt like she’d been living the same life for 31 years, and then BAM! Motherhood unlocked a whole new world for her. It’s like she’s finally found her thing, and it’s so beautiful to watch.

Things just started to feel more important to me. I finally stood up for myself and learned to say no. I figured out what truly makes me happy. Some people might see me as less exciting now, but I’m honestly enjoying life more than ever before.

Even a short break felt scary, because in this industry, staying ahead is valued much more than family life.

Honestly, before my kids came along, I was totally caught up in climbing the career ladder – it was all about work, work, work! But now? Everything’s different. My children have given me a whole new focus, a real purpose. It’s become incredibly important to me to show everyone – and maybe even prove to myself – that you absolutely can be a dedicated mom and still chase your ambitions. It’s like, I need to do both, and do them well!

Coming from Geordie Shore meant a lot of people initially dismissed me. We were seen as different from shows like Made In Chelsea – we were known for being wild, enjoying simple things like kebabs, and sometimes getting into trouble. It was hard to get opportunities, but even after fifteen years, I’m still working and succeeding. I’ve had to work incredibly hard for everything I’ve achieved.

As a mom of two, she believes women are incredibly strong. She points out that even after a year on maternity leave, a woman’s skills shouldn’t be underestimated – caring for a baby is demanding, and simply being a woman often is too.

Charlotte juggles filming commitments with running her fashion brand, Pepper Girls Club, while Jake is frequently traveling for work with his chauffeur service. It’s a situation many couples face – one partner busy with their career, the other managing everything at home – and it’s been even more challenging for them since their move in May, as they both try to keep everything running smoothly.

Things were incredibly strained between us; we were constantly clashing. After a particularly awful fight, I reached a point where I just let him take both our daughters, hoping he’d experience what life was really like with them. Later that night, I got a desperate text from him – he was completely overwhelmed. Apparently, Alba was inconsolable and the baby wouldn’t stop crying. It was in that moment, dealing with that chaos, that he finally understood the constant struggle I’d been living with.

Hearing him say, “I understand,” was incredibly comforting – it felt amazing to finally have someone acknowledge what I was experiencing, she shared.

In a particularly difficult moment, Jake flew to Australia to surprise Charlotte while she was filming, but the gesture didn’t go as planned. They argued due to tiredness and a lack of clear communication. Eventually, they were able to reconnect and work through their issues. “We were both completely overwhelmed,” Charlotte shared. “It wasn’t about infidelity, just two people trying to juggle too much. When Jake showed how much he cared, it helped us remember what was truly important.”

A recent trip to Paris really highlighted how well we connect now. He was taking a break from alcohol, and we spent the time simply enjoying the city – seeing sights like the Eiffel Tower without any pressure or the effects of drinking. We even relaxed in our robes and ordered room service. It was a wonderfully natural experience, and it made me feel closer to him again, reigniting our connection without needing anything like champagne to do it.

Looking back, my twenties were all about freedom and doing whatever came to mind. But stepping into my thirties has been a real journey of growing up emotionally. I’ve been sharing more openly about things like anxiety, dealing with loss, and just the tough stuff life throws at you, and honestly, it’s been amazing to connect with so many people who feel the same way. I’ll be real – the anxiety can be intense! Becoming a mom definitely changes things. It makes you realize how precious life is, and suddenly you’re very aware of everything you could lose, which is a really vulnerable feeling.

Charlotte also says her mother, Letitia, is a huge source of strength for her. They have a close, if sometimes fiery, relationship – she describes them as arguing a lot but loving each other deeply. Their connection became even stronger when Letitia was diagnosed with breast cancer while Charlotte was expecting her daughter, Alba, and it motivated them to create something meaningful together.

My mum lost her job, and I was so worried about her, I started the Pepper Girls Club to give her something to focus on. Then she got sick with cancer, but incredibly, she kept coming to work every single day. Honestly, that job was her lifeline – it helped her take her mind off everything. I’ll never forget how she’d celebrate our successes, high-fiving everyone with so much energy. Thankfully, she’s now cancer-free, and everything I do with the Pepper Girls Club, I do for her. It’s all about making her proud.

Charlotte launched her business with no prior experience in fashion – she literally started with just a tape measure and a lot of determination. The first seven years were incredibly challenging, filled with financial struggles, endless paperwork, and sleepless nights. Early on, an investor’s accountant doubted her success, saying it would only happen ‘when pigs fly.’ But Charlotte persevered, and now her business is thriving. She attributes this not to luck, but to sheer hard work and resilience.

If she could give her younger self advice, she’d say, ‘You’re on the right track, just keep going.’ But for her daughters, the message would be different: ‘Be true to yourselves. Don’t try to be someone else, and please, don’t drink too much – you’ll lose sight of who you are.’

Coming back to ‘Aussie Shore’ as a mentor felt like a perfect way to close that chapter of her life. She’s moved past the drama and enjoyed watching the new cast experience what she went through. While it was tempting to revisit those memories, she realized she’s grown beyond wanting the partying, arguments, and relationship issues. Now, she prefers a quiet night in with her daughters, cooking dinner and watching a movie – that’s what truly makes her happy now.

Honestly, it’s been a rollercoaster – I’ve felt the deepest lows, dealt with so much negativity, and pushed myself to the absolute limit. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it. Every single struggle, every tear, everything… it all led me to where I am now, and I’ve never, ever felt this good. It’s like all the pain was worth it just to feel this level of happiness.

Geordie Stories: Charlotte, Mam Of Two, from Wednesday, Paramount+.

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2025-11-14 20:22