‘There’s no point being tired’: the simple secrets that help Angela Rippon stay energised at 81

Angela Rippon is proof that getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down. At 81, the broadcaster is still working long, jam-packed days, whether she’s up early to read the news on the radio or staying busy till late campaigning about the power of dance.

Watching her, you can’t help but wonder: where on earth does Angela get her energy?

Turns out it’s not down to chugging sugary energy drinks or endless lattes. We interviewed Angela all about her approach to health and wellbeing earlier this year and found out that the secret to her ability to keep going all day is the simple stuff. And it’s a skill she’s had to hone over the decades.

‘When I’m working, if I’m in a studio or on location, the times can be so haphazard,’ Angela told Good Housekeeping. ‘Sometimes I have to get up at 5.30am because we start filming at 7 in the morning. I may be working on something where I don’t finish until very late. A working day for me might be anything from five to 10 hours.’

One memorable example of a particularly lengthy day? Reporting on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral for Australian TV. ‘I think the longest day I’ve done was 14 straight hours broadcasting,’ shared Angela. ’Because of the time difference, we had to start at 2am, and I didn’t finish until well into the afternoon.’

In all her years of working on TV and radio, Angela has taken her responsibility to deliver a great performance very seriously – and that’s something she’s learned she needs good energy reserves to do. She told us: ‘I’ve been doing this job now for 60 years. In that time, I’ve learned how to pace myself. Whether it’s a four-and-a-half-minute piece for The One Show or a 45-minute documentary, it may have taken me eight or 10 hours straight to do that, but there’s no point being tired at the end of it. On the film, as far as the audience is concerned, they need the energy levels to be the same at the end of a programme as they were at the beginning of the programme.’

So, how does she do it? Angela says it’s all down to staying fit, which she does through a daily routine of dance (particularly ballet) and stretching. ‘I’ve discovered being fit is an essential part of what I do for a living,’ she shares.

As for caffeine, Angela has ditched regular cups of tea as she has difficulties with lactose (and doesn’t fancy having it black), instead opting for herbal blends. She has a maximum of two cups of coffee a day and her preferred hot beverage is far simpler: just hot water.

‘As everybody I work with knows, I drink a lot of hot water,’ says Angela. ‘If there’s lemon around, that’s good. And if there’s a peppermint tea bag around, that’s good. But when I’m out, it’s hot water all the time. I started to drink it a lot when I was on LBC, talking for three hours live a day, because I found hot water keeps your throat nice and humid, so it stops you getting a dry throat and mouth. But I actually like the taste of it. I know it sounds silly, but there is a taste to hot water. I’m very happy to drink hot water rather than anything else.’

So, the secret to Angela Rippon’s energy is maintaining general levels of fitness and plenty of hot water. It might sound silly, but she’s on to something – and the science backs her up enough that you might consider ditching your five-coffees-a-day habit. Research shows that taking part in regular exercise of any kind is associated with improved energy levels and lowered fatigue. It’s thought this is due to a few factors: movement improves how your body produces cellular fuel, it boosts circulation and it releases hormones that make you feel alert. A consistent fitness routine will build stamina and resilience, too – allowing you to keep going even when there are hurdles (say, a bad night’s sleep or an early wake-up time) in your way.

As for the hot water, the benefits there come down to hydration. Whether you have your water hot or cold, staying hydrated is essential for maintaining energy levels through the day. Even mild dehydration can show up as tiredness, and often when we’re constantly yawning and reaching for that third cup of coffee, what we actually need is a hefty glass of water.

So: the secret to staying awake and alert all day – whether you’re working hard or just don’t want your week to disappear in a haze of naps and sluggishness – doesn’t lie in one superfood or supplement, but in long-term, consistent effort dedicated to overall fitness and hydration. That might not sound like the easiest or most exciting hack out there, but both are proven to work and just require making a few different decisions each day, like taking the stairs instead of the lift, downing some water when you hit the 3pm slump and doing some stretches when you wake up rather than rolling back over and hitting the snooze button. Let Angela Rippon be your guide – because if we can have that much energy in our 80s, those little choices will be well worth it.