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Menopause Monologues: celebs talk candidly about their experience at Boots and No7 event

30 September 2022
News Brand
  • Six celebrities have shared their personal experiences as part of Menopause Monologues as Boots and No7 aim to break continued stigma associated with the menopause
  • There are over 40 signs and symptoms of the menopause. Gabby Logan says that for the “women suffering” it can be “completely debilitating”
  • Shaparak Khorsandi welcomes opening conversations and says “my daughter will have a different experience”
  • But there’s more work to be done, especially when it comes to representation, as Karen Arthur highlights in her monologue
  • Anna and Andrea are calling upon women to step forward and ask for help. Anna says “take the time to find out what works for you” and Andrea says “Let’s make it easier for women to talk to people. Let’s make it normal.”

Last night, six celebrities talked candidly about their experience of the menopause at a live show called Menopause Monologues, hosted by Boots and No7.

Gabby Logan, Anna Richardson, Andrea McLean, Sally Phillips, Shaparak Khorsandi and Karen Arthur each performed a monologue live on stage to over 200 guests. They revealed their personal experience, the signs or symptoms that affected them most and their thoughts on what can be done to improve the experience of menopause for all women.

Boots has products, services and advice to help women take control of over 40 signs and symptoms of the menopause, available at its award-winning hub on boots.com​. Customers can also walk into any Boots store to speak with a Boots pharmacist for support, with no appointment needed and many stores have consultation rooms available for privacy. 

During the Menopause Monologue show:

  • Gabby Logan, broadcaster and presenter, said: “I am proud to be part of the ever increasing and long overdue discussion about menopause.One of the most important things I’ve learned through my own journey is that every woman’s experience is unique to them. For those fortunate enough to only have a few of the 40+ symptoms, it can be disruptive at best. But for the women suffering from a great many of those symptoms it can be completely debilitating.”

Gabby also revealed to the audience of 200 guests that after beginning her own menopause research her husband also began looking into his own health. After having some blood tests, he discovered he had prostate cancer.

  • Anna Richardson, presenter and writer, said: “I have a voice and I’m not afraid to use it. I’m speaking out for the women too ashamed and afraid to get help. Meditating has helped. Talking has helped. They are the things that are in my tool belt and I never take that off. Take the time to find out what works for you.”
  • Karen Arthur, creative, podcast host, speaker and model, said: “Black women going through the menopause aren’t represented in the media. We often go through it up to two years earlier than white women and even have more severe symptoms. We need to be more open about our experiences so that we can take care of each other, take care of ourselves. I’m proud to be working with Boots to get everyone talking about the menopause and menopause diversity.”
  • Andrea McLean, journalist and presenter said, “I have gone on to create This Girl Is On Fire, a community for women to help them build up their self-belief and self-love. I help women every single day. And I love it. I know now to be kind to myself. I know to take care of myself. I know that plastering a smile on will never work long term. I know that to sustain it, it has to come from somewhere within. And this is why I care about this project. Let’s make it easier for women to talk to people. Let’s make it accessible. Let’s make it normal.”

Amongst many exhilarating stories from the evening, Andrea revealed that she fired her agent after he told her not to write a book about the menopause, as ‘nobody would hire her again’ and it would be ‘career suicide’. Andrea went on to write the very successful Confessions of a Menopausal Woman.

  • Shaparak Khorsandi, comedian and author said, “When I first realised something was changing, I did what a lot of women do, and I turned to my mother for help and guidance. But there’s a reticence with my mum’s generation to even acknowledge it was a thing. You just got on with it. My daughter will have a different experience to that. I’m tooled up now and I can help her find her own tools. There are experts and support from brands like Boots who are recognising the menopause as something more than just your periods stopping. And I am here for that.”

Boots continues to find ways to improve the experience of menopause for women. Yesterday it launched an initiative to help women identify menopause products and services that may be suitable for them. In collaboration with GenM – the menopause partner for brands –Boots has introduced a ‘Menopause Friendly’ symbol that will be displayed online and in-store alongside products and services that may help with some of the signs and symptoms of the menopause.

Anne Higgins, Pharmacy Director at Boots said: “There’s been so much progress in recent years in terms of menopause awareness and so our aim for Menopause Monologues is to break down taboos even further. Our mission is to help women through every life stage and in conversations about menopause, it’s so important to highlight the different signs and symptoms and support available.”

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Boots is the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer with over 52,000 team members and around 1,900 stores, ranging from local community pharmacies to large destination health and beauty stores.*

Boots serves its customers and patients for life as the leading provider of healthcare on the high street and the UK’s number one beauty destination. It offers an unrivalled depth and breadth of products, which incorporates its extensive own brand range and innovative portfolio of brands, including No7, the UK’s No1 skincare brand, Soap & Glory, Liz Earle Beauty and Sleek MakeUP.

2024 marks Boots’ 175th anniversary year. Founder John Boot opened a herbalist store in Nottingham in 1849 to offer an affordable alternative to traditional medicines. His son Jesse expanded the business to become a modern retailer and the biggest chemist in Britain. Throughout its history, Boots has listened, learned and innovated, and it continues to challenge itself to improve its products and services every day.

Boots is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, which is a global leader in pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing retail.  More company information is available on boots-uk.com.

*Figures accurate as of 31 May 2024