SHAUNA Lowry was born on July 6, 1970, in Belfast, and is a highly respected broadcaster and campaigner, dedicated to animal rescue and protection. Lowry became well known presenting TV series including the BBC's Animal Hospital, and has been the face of Animal Planet for several years. Lowry, who lives in London, has her own series, Shauna's Amazing Animal Videos, which goes out every weekday night at 7pm and 7.30pm on Animal Planet.

How much sleep do you need?

''I love my sleep, so at least eight hours.''

How do you feel first thing in the morning?

''A bit groggy. I'm not brilliant at getting up. It isn't until I jump in the shower and then have my first cup of coffee that I wake up.''

What exercise do you take?

''I absolutely love doing yoga. I find it's so good for me. I fell off a horse a couple of years ago, filming, and injured my hip. It was badly bruised. Sometimes now, when I'm tired or haven't done exercise, my hip gets sore. So yoga is fantastic for it.

''I go to my gym and it just depends on when I can get time, but they've got loads of different classes so I just try and fit in when I can. I try and do it a couple of times a week. Pilates is also good. That's all about breathing as well, and you're elongating your muscles rather than shortening them, like if you do sit-ups. Pilates is really good for lower back and stomach. They swear by it for people who've just had babies, if you want to get your stomach muscles back. Liz Hurley does it. I like to go to a class, for motivation, as I won't do it at home - I'd just have a cup of tea and watch telly. I also try and do aerobics once a week, to lose a bit of weight.''

Are you careful about what you eat?

''I absolutely love my food. I don't eat a lot of meat. I don't eat red meat at all. It's mainly chicken and fish. I try and eat lots of salads, but find it hard in the winter, when I like comfort food. I've just had a bowl of stew - mashed potato, parsnip and carrot. And I'm addicted to chocolate - I love my puddings. I should eat more fruit, probably.''

Are you happy with your weight?

''I'm very lucky in the sense that I'm always running around. I tend to keep the weight off. But since I hit 30, I've felt the need to go to the gym and tone up more. I think everybody wants to be a bit lighter than they are. I'd like to be a stone lighter.''

Are you happy with your body shape?

''Yes I am. I think it's so much healthier to not nitpick and not hate parts of your body. You're lucky to be healthy and should appreciate it. I worked on City Hospital with the BBC for a couple of years, and that programme really humbled me. Every day you're meeting people with life-threatening illnesses and you think 'who are we to sit and moan about the size of our bums when people are dying of cancer?'''

Do you take any vitamin/mineral supplements?

''I take multi-vitamins, Echinacea, evening primrose oil, milk thistle if I'm going out drinking, and I've recently started taking magnesium because I get migraine sometimes.''

Do you have any vices?

''I gave up smoking a year and a half ago, thank God, and I haven't gone back.''

Does your work affect your health?

''Workwise, sometimes I can take too much out of myself if I'm running around so much.''

Do you catch a cold most winters?

''I had a flu jab recently to stop myself getting colds, because if I get one I get it quite bad. If there's a bug going around in the winter, I'll often get it. One bad cold a year.''

Do you think you suffer from stress?

''I try not to and I think the yoga helps. And having a nice big bath with essential oils, and just relaxing really, is my key to switching off. You need to do that. I like a big bath every evening, and once a week I'll light all the candles, do the oils and have an absolute pamper session.''

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