Charlotte Church opens up about media scrutiny and her rural retreat

1 of 6

Welsh singer Charlotte Church has spoken candidly about the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, revealing she felt “sexualised, patronised and ridiculed” by the media throughout her early career. In an interview with The Guardian, Church shared her experiences of intense press attention and the toll it took on her mental well-being. Now living a more peaceful life at her rural retreat, The Dreaming, in Powys, she reflects on the darker aspects of her fame and the steps she took to regain control of her narrative.

++ Judge halts Musk’s social security data access amidst fraud investigation concerns

Church first gained recognition at the age of 11 after performing Pie Jesu on ITV’s This Morning, which led to a successful classical music career and global fame. While she expressed gratitude for the opportunities, she highlighted the difficulties she faced as a teenager, particularly the invasive media scrutiny and phone hacking by News of the World. Reflecting on that period, Church said, “The narrative of who I was in the world was taken from me and made into something salacious, or something to be ridiculed.”

One striking example of the media’s treatment of her came after her appearance on BBC’s Question Time in 2015, where she discussed the links between climate change and the Syrian civil war. Her comments were mocked by tabloids, with headlines such as “Voice of an Angel, Brain of Angel Delight,” which left her feeling unfairly caricatured. Church also addressed her experience of the Leveson Inquiry in 2011, where she and her family confronted the emotional damage caused by years of press intrusion, culminating in a £600,000 settlement for phone hacking.

++ JK Rowling appears to criticise Harry Potter stars in social media post

In 2020, Church sought solace in nature by purchasing Rhydolog House, a 50-acre property in Powys once owned by Laura Ashley’s family. She transformed it into The Dreaming, a wellness retreat designed to help visitors reconnect with nature and their bodies. Today, the site offers a range of activities aimed at promoting mental and physical well-being, providing Church with a peaceful escape from the tumult of her earlier years in the spotlight.