"To be honest, it was the thought of coming back to visit Majorca that got my mother through this. My parents first went to Majorca in 1964 and fell in love with the island, its people and the food. and they just kept going back. I first went when I was four. Well, that’s not strictly true because my mother went when she was pregnant with me, so I guess I went before that.
"But aged four, with my five foot monkey, which had to go through the X-ray machine, my parents and I landed at the dirt strip airport and headed off to Porto Cristo. We’ve explored the whole island over the years, but we love Illetas and Palma. We often stayed at the Edifico Sirocco apartments, the Bonanza Playa in Illetas, which is where we’re staying this summer. We used to love coming in spring and autumn.
"I just love the smell. When they opened the cabin door the heat and humidity and all the wonderful scents would just hit you it just felt so familiar. As soon as I saw the little windmills as we came it into land, it was so joyful and relaxing. It was where I learnt to windsurf, although growing up in the '70 in the age of Jaws, the music and images in my head was probably the biggest motivation to keep me on the board. I would love to catch up with my old instructor Sigmar Trapp-Engels who I believe is still on the island".
"I scuba dive in Majorca - so many things, the island, and its people were such an important part of my growing up and my life today, and it means even more to mummy. Mum is the cornerstone of my life, and it hurts desperately to see her facing up to so much trauma. She’s been extremely brave making the decision to have the eye removed, very tough and philosophical. So many times over the summer she’s said 'I absolutely can’t wait to get back to our table, tapas and friends at El Pilon'. And we love picking up goodies for a picnic at Es Rebost too and going shopping in El Corte Inglés - we remember when it was the Galerias - and in a few weeks’ time we will be happy just wandering round Palma soaking up the atmosphere.
"And we are looking for a long rent on the island, we’re perfect tenants. Perhaps eventually something even longer or more permanent, so if there is anyone out there who has a nice coastal apartment on the ground floor or in a block with a lift for mummy just tweet me (see end of article). One thing we would love to do is hire a driver and spend a couple of days touring the island, revisiting all our old haunts, that would really be fantastic."
For millions of people in the UK, Emma is a household name and face. Her former partner Bill Roache (Ken Barlow in Coronation Street) is still a close friend and has been very supportive during this difficult time. Emma is a popular face of ITV Weather. Frequently recognised for her sunny "bye bye" sign-off, she originally trained to be a vet, but sidestepped into TV in her year off.
She started as a colourful, quirky regular on national breakfast TV and can currently be seen presenting the weather anywhere across the UK - she is especially well-known in the Midlands and all northern regions as well as Wales, and opts into Good Morning Britain. Emma produces and presents news and weather features, and is particularly at home in her wellies presenting countryside programmes for the network. She relishes glamming it up for all the live events she hosts; she takes ‘thinking on her feet’ in her stride.
"I have been so lucky in my life, it’s been non-stop, but that’s because I’ve never been one to turn down an opportunity. You never know where it’s going to lead, an so far it’s worked out for me." However, if she had not been spotted during her year off working behind the scenes in a theatre by Jasper Carrot’s agent, who was convinced she would make a great TV presenter, she would have followed her career path and become a vet - that is what she studied at Cambridge.
"So, in the end, I didn’t end up saving the lives of animals but I have become very involved in a host of important charities (she was a forces pin-up for a fundraising calendar). I do a lot of work to help empower women in business and I also host a number of bespoke events for ladies at the horse races."
Emma specialises in hosting awards events, conferences and company away days throughout the UK and Europe. She enjoys engaging the audience with her natural warmth, presence and gentle humour, and has carved out a strong corporate niche for herself hosting award ceremonies for clients such as Sony. She’s also taken cameo roles on film and TV.
And when it comes to the current weather she says that the extremes which the whole globe is experiencing do indeed seem indicative of global warming. She explains that there need to be enough years of data to back this statement, but the way things look now, surely it’s pretty much "unquestionable"
If you think you have a property Emma may be interested in, contact her on Twitter at @EmmaJessonTV.
