Clara Amfo is one of those celebrities who everyone would love to be friends with. One of the biggest and friendliest personalities in broadcasting, Amfo is best-known for her podcast hosting, BBC radio and TV presenting and, of course, Strictly Come Dancing. 

That’s why the latest episode of the Make It Reign podcast, which sees journalist and presenter Josh Smith speak to Amfo about overcoming personal challenges, is well worth listening to – especially if you’re a woman in your 20s or 30s who, like Amfo, is happily single.

Amfo starts by saying how the pandemic has taught her not to put up with any “bullshit” anymore, telling Smith: “2020 was such a bitter-sweet year. It was a very restorative year at the same time. Even though I was very busy, I definitely still had time to just reflect on a lot of stuff and just really, really think about my life and what I want from it. 

“I’ve never felt more confident in who I am and what I want from my life, especially when it comes to friends, relationships, my career. I literally don’t have the brain space. I don’t have the energy for any bullshit anymore. I just want a peaceful life. I’m fighting to be unapologetically myself.”

She also talks about how her relationship with herself has improved in her 30s, continuing: “It’s definitely gotten better over the years because I definitely had some moments of absolute, utter disdain and hate for myself, especially in my late teens to early 20s. I felt really ‘ughhh’ and I used to say really mean things to myself. 

“Now I look back and I’m horrified; it’s really scary, actually, how much shit you can chat to yourself and just accept it and be like, ‘Oh yeah, I guess I’m not that great. I’m not that intelligent or whatever.’ And now, oh my god I feel for me: particularly between the ages of 19 to 23.

“Now, I’m just like, ‘No Clara, you’re all right, you’re a good friend, you’re a kind person, you’re an honest person, you’re not perfect’. And I give myself space to know [I’m] going to fuck it up and it’s ok.”

Amfo also opens up about why she’s happy being single in her 30s at the moment, saying: “I can honestly say, I’m in such a great place. Yes, it would be lovely to be in love and to have a partner. But then at the same time, when I think about some of the guys that I used to entertain. If they had gone the way I had wanted it to go, I’d be absolutely miserable. I’d be reducing myself to appease some dude’s ego and I can’t do that, I refuse to do it. Being in this space now, I can see I wasn’t aware of my power and my magic.”

She adds: “That’s why I’m not stressing saying, ‘Oh my God, I need to get married or when am I gonna meet the one’, because where I’m at, I’m genuinely so happy within my own ‘sauce’ and delighted being by myself. I think I would rather be on my own than feel lonely or taken the piss out of just so I can say that I’m part of a two. 

“I’m sure whoever I’m going to end up with, we’re going to have a lovely time. In the meantime, I’m just going to enjoy me with my mates and just working on things I really like.”

You can listen to the full Clara Amfo interview on the Make It Reign podcast, which is available to listen to on all podcast streaming platforms now.

Images: Getty