Anita Rani showcases her ‘liberating’ new haircut in the wake of ‘split’ from her husband as she reveals why she’s stopped ‘people pleasing’
Anita Rani has showcased her ‘liberating’ new haircut – hours after it was reported she’d split from her husband of 14 years.
The Countryfile host, 45, took to Instagram on Wednesday to posed for a snap with her hairdresser as she showed off her newly-chopped tresses.
Anita told how she was happily going against ‘beauty standards’ expected of her after previously being told by a relative that she’d lost her beauty when she’d cut her hair.
And Anita certainly looked chuffed to have followed her own path as she flashed a broad smile to the camera while ‘sticking the finger up to what’s expected.’
Captioning her post, she wrote: ‘Sometimes in life all you need is a bloody good chop. I was 18 when I was finally allowed to cut my long bum length hair and a delightful ‘Aunty’ told me I’d lost my beauty. Well I discovered my liberation.
‘Short haired aunties were always so glam to me, free spirited, independent, going against ‘beauty’ standards, a little bit rock n roll. And every time I get it trimmed I feel a kick of rebellion and a sense of freedom. Defining my own beauty standards. Sticking the finger up to what’s expected. Let’s go brothers and sisters!
‘New school term, new pencil case and a new hair cut. Also bonus side note, it helps when Sam cuts your hair, he knows what he’s doing.’
She added: ‘Side side note. I LOVE SA women with long flowing powerful goddess black rockstar locks, wild and untamed.’
Meanwhile, in a new interview, Anita told how she’s stopped ‘people pleasing’ after being being put ‘in a box’ for much of her life.
Speaking to Yahoo News, Anita – born in Bradford to Indian parents – told of the pressure she felt to settle down after it was instilled that marriage and children equals success, remarking that the notion is ‘drip fed to you’.
She said: ‘How many of us are making choices based on what we actually want to do? and how many of us are doing it because it’s what’s expected of us? And those are the things that I’m personally grappling with.’
The presenter told how she began ‘second guessing’ what people wanted after watching women in her life facilitate everyone before themselves.
Anita went on to say that her forties were very ‘transitional’ and she started to not ‘give a f*** as much’ as she felt more ’empowered’ and ‘confident’ within herself.
She shared: ‘I think at some point, you wake up and realise it’s time to make myself happy, because I think women do look after everybody, whether that’s because that’s what society expects, or whether it’s your parents or your husband or your children.
‘You realise that it’s a bit of a waste of time trying to please other people. And once you find who you are, and you walk into a room authentically, valuing who you are – that’s a sensational feeling.’
It comes amid news Anita and her tech company owner partner Bhupi Rehal are said to have parted ways after their busy schedules kept them apart.
A source told The Mirror: ‘It’s really sad but they’ve decided to separate.
‘Their hectic schedules over the past couple of years have sadly meant they’ve drifted apart over time.
‘They remain on very good terms and wish nothing but the best for one another.’
Anti and Bhupi, who first met at a rave in East London, married in a Sikh ceremony back in 2009.
The TV host previously told how the couple had a good marriage, saying: ‘He’s great and we have a great life. It’s like any marriage: you have to work at it.’
It comes after Anita previously opened up about suffering a miscarriage, telling The Times: ‘I’m much better at self-care and I ask myself more questions about how I want to live my life.
‘I’m also more willing to be vulnerable, like talking about the miscarriage I had in 2018.
‘Vulnerability used to scare the s*** out of me, but it has been liberating to share my personal story and see the response.’
