Gabby Logan's brutal aging admission: 'This is rubbish'

BBC presenter Gabby Logan in her professional broadcasting role, reflecting her continued prominence in sports television (Illustrative image) (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) Getty Images

BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan has made a brutally honest admission about aging, declaring "this is rubbish" as she experienced what she calls a "seismic" change entering her fifties. The 52-year-old returns to television tonight presenting Match of the Day at 10.30pm on BBC One alongside Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates.

Logan described the transition from her forties to fifties as abrupt and unwelcome. "At first, I thought, 'This is rubbish. I'm getting older suddenly'," she revealed. "It felt very abrupt. One minute I was fine, then suddenly I was sliding into this abyss of ageing I didn't want to go into."

Perimenopause struggles

The presenter has been candid about her battles with brain fog during perimenopause, particularly while presenting live television. She found herself hesitating for words and struggling with recall abilities that had previously been her strength.

Logan's memory difficulties proved especially challenging given her background. "I was always so good at recall. I got through a law degree basically just by going, 'Ah, page 32, Smith versus Cook'," she explained. She described her early perimenopause experiences as "alien" when faced with unexpected memory lapses on-air.

Coping strategies

The presenter noticed herself "umming a bit or using 'very, very, very'" during broadcasts, a stark contrast to her usual sharp delivery. Understanding these symptoms as perimenopause-related rather than general cognitive decline brought significant relief.

Logan has developed practical methods to combat her memory issues, including scribbling notes on paper during presentations. She now engages in brain-boosting exercises such as attempting to memorise six-digit numbers and resisting the temptation to Google information she already knows.

Hormone replacement therapy has helped improve her cognitive abilities. Learning about the ageing process proved transformative, inspiring her to write her book "The Midpoint Plan" and launch a podcast dedicated to educating women about midlife transitions.

She now compares educating women about menopause to teaching teenagers about puberty. "We're lucky to live in a time when there's so much information about hormones. It makes a huge difference," she said.

The presenting team takes over from Gary Lineker, who departed the programme in May. Logan joins the show during a significant period of change for the long-running football highlights programme.

Sources used: "PA Media", "Manchester Evening", "WalesOnline" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.