Vicky Pattison, with her warm personality, articulate speech, great sense of humour and big heart, is simply irresistible. When we catch up with the Geordie reality star turned TV and radio presenter at her home, she describes herself as “an open book” – a refreshing change in an era of media-savvy celebs who carefully measure their words.
In an exclusive chat with Ok!, the 37 year old spills the beans on her new fashion line for Little Mistress at Matalan, among other thrilling work projects. She also candidly discusses everything from her marriage to Ercan Ramadan and their family plans, to her ongoing struggle with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) – which she says morphs her into “someone she doesn’t recognise”.
“Six months after we got together, we started living as man and wife – with our furry babies,” Vicky chuckles, when quizzed about married life, six months post their wedding in Puglia, Italy, which was preceded by an official ceremony in London last August. “Everybody jokes that we moved really fast, but when you know, you know. I wasn’t a spring chicken when I met Ercan – by north-east standards, I was a spinster!”.
The former Geordie Shore sensation is relishing the security of being 31 year old Ercan’s wife, confessing that it might sound “old-fashioned” to some, but she’s perfectly fine with that. “Everything’s fast and transient these days. Finding a safe space is everything, someone with whom the noise is not so loud… he’s the best. I always wanted to be settled, loved and happy.”
Vicky confesses that on the surface, Ercan signifies the polar opposite of her typical type, but he’s exactly what she was yearning for. “For years I thought if a relationship was going to work, I’d need a real alpha male, because I was a lot to handle,” she admits. “I tried relationships with those people, but I’ve realised, the loudest person in the room is often the most insecure. I was left with heartache every time.”
She elaborates on her encounter with Ercan after a tough break-up, saying, “When I met Ercan, after a difficult break-up, he was something very different. It wasn’t a calculated choice – I just thought he was a wicked bit of kit! So, so handsome. Over time, I realised that softer, slower, kinder was what I’d always needed. “Ercan will walk into a room and not command instant attention – but he’ll leave that room with everyone knowing his name and realising he’s the nicest man ever. “.
Describing her marriage as a refreshing change, Vicky explains that Ercan not only allows her to take the spotlight but shines brightly by himself too – creating a perfect “yin and yang” balance. “We love each other for our differences. He’s making me more patient, calm and thoughtful. I like to think I’m making him more ambitious and proactive.”
Vicky candidly shared her thoughts on starting a family, revealing that she had her eggs frozen at 35 and hopes to begin trying for children within the next year or two. She quipped: “My mam had me at 30, geriatric back in her day… So if I can get one in before 40, I’ll be over the moon,” adding with a laugh, “Everyone thought we’d try for kids quite quickly – so did we! But we’re going to enjoy being married, for at least a year. I’d love a honeymoon first! A little week in the Caribbean would be lovely. We’re just desperate to sleep in the same bed together. I sleep with the dogs [they have two] and he sleeps in the spare room!”.
Ercan, being one of four boys, is dreaming of having his own “football team” of sons, Vicky explains, whereas she’s expecting to follow her family tradition of “a long line of women who have women” by having a daughter. When it comes to her upbringing, Vicky shares tales from her childhood brought up by her strong mother Caroll, and touches upon her relationship with her dad, who struggles with alcoholism, calling him “not a well man” but hastening to add, “He’s also a great man and a great dad.”
Both parents have imparted important life lessons to her. “Mum taught me strength and resilience, she told me never to compromise in my pursuit of happiness. She kept going. She’s been through a lot. She tried to make her marriage work for a long time, and make him well – until she couldn’t. “She still has a great relationship with dad. She went on to lose a partner she adored, but she’s never stopped believing she could be happy.
That’s a huge lesson for a young woman to learn. ” From her father, who was the subject of her touching Channel 4 documentary ‘Alcohol, dad And Me’ in 2022, Vicky has learnt that showing vulnerability is not a sign of weakness. “He’s 6ft 2, a unit of a Geordie man, who used to do more one-handed press-ups in bars than Rocky. He’d cry with me watching a Disney film. He’ll talk about his illness openly, in the hope it helps others. I understood gender roles could be reversed and it’s made me the woman I am. I’m very proud of both my parents.”
Professionally, Vicky has just bid farewell to her weekday drive-time show at Heart Radio North East, which aired from 4-7pm. Now, she’s gearing up for a “big new gig” on Heart – hosting a national show on Saturdays. The I’m A Celeb champ describes it as “amazing but bittersweet”, admitting that she had always dreamt of settling down and starting a family back home.”
I’m a proud Geordie girl. I thought, ‘I’ll move back up north, do my radio show then I can have kids! Go in three, four hours a day, have this lovely little life up there. ‘ So I’m shelving that dream for a couple of years. I want to move back up north with my family eventually. But I was really lucky that Heart took me on in a national capacity. I’m still that north-east voice on the radio. I’m nervous – there’ll be a lot more listeners and I always worry I’ll say something I shouldn’t..”
Vicky’s refreshingly honest nature has won the hearts of many, and it’s also what drives her to create thought-provoking documentaries. Her most recent project tackled the disturbing world of deepfake porn, and while it took a toll on her mental health, she’s proud to have shed light on a previously taboo topic. “Meeting the victims, handling such heavy subject matter… It took a toll on my mental health, but I really stand by the decision we made to highlight a topic that was largely unspoken about.”
In contrast, Vicky is now gearing up to host Channel 4’s new dating show, The Honesty Box, which premieres at the end of April. “It’s got all the drama of our fave reality shows with a new twist – AI technology,” she reveals. The show uses a lie detector, leaving contestants nowhere to hide, and explores whether honesty is indeed the best policy in relationships. Vicky has always believed it is, but she’s keeping mum for now.
Off-screen, Vicky continues to bravely share her struggles with PMDD with her 5.5 million Instagram followers. “Social media is difficult – and we’re the guinea pig generation. I’ve noticed myself falling into the trap; my Insta was looking a bit polished. Expect a big reality dump from me on there soon,” she hints with a smile.
Speaking about PMDD, Ercan, she admits with a hint of sadness, struggles during her “spicy PMDD weeks” when she despises “everybody and everything – and he’s at the top of that list”, but they’re both learning. “I have chocolate in the fridge, hot water bottle on standby, favourite films ready to go,” she shares.
“It’s taken a while. Every month he watches me transform from this strong, confident, busy woman who adores her life to a frightened little girl, overwhelmed by anxiety. I become someone he and I don’t recognise. That’s tough.”
However, right now, Vicky is in a positive space, extremely proud of her fashion collaboration with Little Mistress. It will be available at Matalan, a store she has frequented with her mum since childhood. Vicky expresses how great it feels that her fans can purchase her clothes without splashing out.
“Women often come last in the pecking order when they’re shopping. I’ve never been a big designer gal myself – I’ve always been frugal. I’m really proud I’m involved in creating stuff that other women feel fantastic in. I’m buzzing like an old fridge!”.
Confessing that even stepping out of her front door can be a struggle some mornings (“and I don’t even have kids yet!”), she adds, “Women have enough going on…Matalan is a one-stop-shop and this collection makes you feel like a million dollars – I’m loving all the soft tailoring. The hot-pink two-piece? I can already see myself wearing it on Lorraine or This Morning!”.
Reflecting on her past, Vicky can’t help but giggle over her style choices during her more uninhibited years. She confessed that looking back at her twenties, there were moments she questions with a bewildered, “What the hell were you thinking? !” However, she points out, “They were mostly surrounding fake tan though,” she laughs. “I was positively radioactive for about a decade… I genuinely believed ‘more was more’. I have flashbacks of me with peroxide blonde hair looking like a cockatoo, with my mates doing the whole ‘underwear is outerwear’ thing.”
But Vicky has no regrets: “There were plenty of cringe moments, but no regrets. I was living my best life and it’s all a part of the journey. Isn’t that what it’s all about?”.