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This Morning star Josie Gibson has opened up on the real reason that she rushed back to work after a recent operation. The 41-year-old mum, who raises son Reggie completely by herself, underwent surgery to help treat lipoedema - a chronic disease causing painful, abnormal fat buildup.

She returned to her presenting role on ITV just two weeks later. Now, speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Josie has shared that it was due to the "financial burden" that she feels. "I am very fortunate. I have got a fantastic job and career," she started. "But I do all of the parenting all by myself. I keep Reggie, I don't get any financial help from anybody. Not his dad, not anybody. I do everything by myself. So if I don't work then the bills don't get paid. I know what it's like to have all the financial burden on your shoulders."

The former Big Brother contestant continued: "I've just had surgery and I thought 'I have to go back to work after two weeks. If I don't go back to work, there's no support there'."

She added: "There's nobody else that I can fall back on, who can take the burden. There's no one else to help pay the rent this month, it's all on me."

Speaking about working in showbiz, Josie said: "You have to get the work while it is there. I have been very lucky and I thank God every day. I have fantastic people around me and fantastic agents. It took a little while to get there, but it is fantastic."

She went on to say that many of her friends are single parents and they are all facing their own battles. "I do see it all," she shared. "I'm not just in this little celeb bubble, I am quite real."

Josie added: "I don't feel like a celebrity, that's the weird thing about it. I just feel a bit popular! I don't really know what you're meant to feel like as a celebrity. But you have to be thankful for any opportunities, so I am always just so grateful.

"Sometimes the phone doesn't stop ringing and then other times, you don't get any calls at all. So you have to appreciate the good times and then when you go through the bad times, you appreciate them as well because they take you to the good times."

A strong advocate for single parents, and those who maybe struggle with finances, Josie has now teamed up with Iceland on a new campaign. Celebrating an amazing summer of sport ahead, the supermarket brand is launching its Kits for Kids campaign, giving kids football clubs across the country the chance to win brand new kits for their whole squad, completely for free.

It comes as new research reveals that 86% of parents say rising living costs have made it harder to support their child's football dreams. To apply for the free kits, parents and coaches can put their club forward submitting their details alongside a short 100-word entry explaining why their team would benefit from a kit upgrade. Entries close at 23.59 on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

Josie said: "As a mum with a young son who loves football, I know how important grassroots football is, and how quickly the costs can add up.

"These teams do so much for so many kids, so it's disheartening to hear how many are struggling to afford new kits. That's why I'm proud to support Iceland in giving back to community football teams, and I'd encourage all parents and guardians to get their entries in."