“As a collective, we can do far more than as just individuals." Emma Jones shares empowering reflections on misogyny, mental health, and mourning.
Emma Jones is a captivating and witty sports journalist and best known as the TV host for Leeds United. She shares her hilarious series -DM Helpline- with her 408k Instagram fans in which she exposes the audacious messages she receives from men.
With International Women’s Day coming up, I had the opportunity to explore a real side to her away from the male-dominated industry of football. Full of warmth and wisdom, her relatability makes her a calm in the chaos of the stadium.
PWR: Is there a woman who inspires you and shapes your identity?
EJ: Definitely my mum, who I lost when I was 18. For six years before she passed away, she
had multiple health struggles. She was diagnosed with MS and then breast cancer and every
new diagnosis that came her way, she faced it head on. I remember shaving her hair off for
her and I was looking at her in the mirror in complete and utter awe of her courage as a
human being. So when she did die, I took a lot of strength and I continue to take a lot of
strength from her. She is the person I always think of in any situation where I need self belief
or courage.
PWR: Do you ever suffer anxiety, and is there any tips for anyone on how to protect their
mental health?
EJ: I do, and that often shocks people, because the assumption is that when you work on TV,
you must be confident in everything…but that's not true. I've been speaking to a therapist for
about 10 years now. So, before I was even properly in the industry. And I fully believe in the
power of speaking and sharing thoughts and feelings. I find that grounding myself and
practising breathing techniques really help being able to focus. There shouldn't be any
stigma or shame around it, because it's a perfectly natural biological reaction. It’s ultimately a
state of fear.
And it's about perspective. There's a natural inclination to judge people without
knowing them. So if ever I feel affected - I just look around, I have a large group of friends
and a wonderful family, and I know that I'm loved by them for who I am and they're the
people that truly know me.
PWR: What do you wish you could tell younger you?
EJ: That you will find happiness and joy in living - that you'll build a life that you're proud of.
It'll take time and hard work, but you will do it. And when you do, you'll find the greatest joy in
the simple things, like fresh air and taking your dog for a walk. That might sound ridiculous,
but when you're young, you have these big dreams and hopes for your life. And when you
get on the path and you start learning on the way, you realise that actually the things that
bring you the most happiness are the things that don't cost anything.
PWR: I see you use humour for clapping back at trolls - rightfully so. But, has it genuinely
ever gone too far?
EJ: It's gone too far a few times, to be honest. A few years ago, a man kept threatening to do
things to me when he found me. And the police came and spoke to me and they were really
helpful. It was quite scary. Loads of people get comments on the internet. But in terms of the
DM help line, it was created to turn it on its head and allow people to see the vulgarity of
some of the messages that we’re actually exposed to online. And I've had people
occasionally question whether it could actually be encouraging them with the DM help line.
But I received those messages regardless. So I'd rather highlight it in a way that engages
people and raises awareness of the issue, rather than just ignore it.
PWR: If you're not doing sports presenting, which industry would you have been in?
EJ: So, this might surprise you. I always said I would either be a presenter, or part of the
Battersby family from Coronation Street. I wanted to be Janice and Les Battersby’s daughter
and sisters with Leanne and Toyah. But if I wasn't presenting, I'd be doing one of two very
different careers. I'd either be acting, or training in something that allows me to help others,
like a counsellor or psychologist. That would be very fulfilling for me.
PWR: Is there a secret side to you?
EJ: I have creative interests, I really enjoy writing. And I used to do it a lot more when I had the
time. I used to write poetry but I just don't really get the chance to do that as often now.
When I was growing up, I had books and books and books of poetry. And I just used to do it
because I loved it and it was like an outlet for me to write stuff down.
PWR: What's the most difficult story you've talked about on your podcast?
EJ: Probably telling the actual story around mum's death and the aftermath. There was a lot that
happened after she died, and me and my brothers nearly lost everything. I never got the
opportunity to go through her clothes, her jewellery or anything that would remind
me of her. So, I had very little left of her because it all got taken away, and actually sharing
that story and acknowledging the pain that I endured in the years after her death was a lot for me to handle.
When I first spoke about it on the Dead Parent Club podcast, I had to take a deep breath
before I did, because it brought all of that back. I wanted something sentimental, but the
beautiful thing is that whenever I go into a shop that sells perfume I do a spray test.
Whenever I see Dolce & Gabbana, the original one, I always spray it on, and it reminds me
of her. I think it's something about smells that can take you right back to a place, a feeling, a
person- and that's beautiful because that can't ever be taken away.
PWR: Is it difficult to ignore people's opinions or do you find it easy to not care what they
think?
EJ: When I first started out in the industry, I took everything to heart. Now it just goes over my
head. If I see a negative comment on social media, I laugh and it's forgotten about in five
seconds. And that is a really liberating feeling. That is something that over the last few years
has been extremely freeing. I wouldn't want anyone to have to get used to it. It's far better to
be unaffected by it than the alternative, which is to allow it to affect you.
PWR: So, how important is it to you for women to have healthy female friendships and look
out for each other?
EJ: I’m very lucky because I’ve got a big group of female friends who I have been close to since
high school and have shaped who I am. They are some of the most important people in my
life. In the sports presenting world, there are more and more women coming through. And
what I've also seen in my experience has been wholly positive. We are individuals but we're
in quite a unique position, so it's really nice when you can relate to each other in such a
unique way. And it’s important because as a collective you can do far more and be far better
than if you're all just individuals.
PWR: Would you describe yourself as somebody proud of your achievements or hard on yourself and why?
EJ: I've always been told that I don't really acknowledge or celebrate my achievements enough.
And that's probably true. I have five seconds of cheering then I focus on what I need to do
next. Give yourself a pat on the back every now and then. We naturally play down anything
that we've done or is deemed to be good. Maybe that's just human nature. But it is
something I'm working on because there's no point working on achievements if you're not
going to say well done to yourself.
Interview & Words by: Saz Aga
Makeup by: Berivan Er