Binky Felstead opens up on family heartache, MS diagnosis and a new chapter in her career
From Made in Chelsea to parenting advocate, Felstead recalls a turbulent upbringing, her mother's battle with multiple sclerosis, and life with three kids while launching an M&S range for children.
Binky Felstead, the former Made in Chelsea star turned parenting influencer, is laying bare the personal costs and the professional heights of growing up in the public eye. In an in-depth conversation about family, health, and her latest business venture, she describes behind-the-scenes heartache, long-standing therapy, and the moment a family secret shifted the course of her life.
She credits her late-blooming career in front of the cameras to a combination of luck and a nudge from her mother, Jane Felstead. When a young Binky told her family she had been offered a chance to star on a reality show, relatives concerned about the show’s image balked, but Jane pressed forward. "Why not? She's not going to be a scientist. She's not going to be a mathematician. She's not going to do anything," Jane said. The encouragement, Felstead says, proved pivotal. What began as a precarious audition became a public platform, and later a first-hand education in fame, love and loss.
Today, Felstead—now 35 and a mother to India, eight; Wolfie, four; and Wilder, two—speaks candidly about the emotional fallout that accompanied those early years. She says she still attends regular therapy sessions and frames them as a necessary tool for maintaining balance amid a life lived in the glare of social media and the relentless pace of parenting.
The subject of her mother's health looms large in the interview. Jane Felstead, who is now in a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis, was diagnosed in her 60s after a career-spanning life that included a history of optic neuritis and periods of exhaustion and muscle weakness. In hindsight, Binky notes earlier signs—moments of unsteadiness and fatigue—that were misattributed to other causes. The revelation of MS did not come until Jane underwent imaging and lumbar puncture at a private clinic, an experience Binky recalls with mixed emotion: sadness at the loss of independence, but admiration for her mother's resilience.
The family’s experience with MS is a through-line in Binky’s life and public narrative. She describes the years of private struggle, the adjustments that followed, and the reality that her mother now requires assistance with basic tasks. Yet Jane remains as forthright and witty as ever, a dynamic presence who continues to influence the way Felstead navigates her own responsibilities as a parent and a public figure. The updated dynamic—Jane in need of support, yet still a central figure in the children’s lives—has reshaped how the family presents itself on screen and off.
Felstead reflects on the toll of growing up in the spotlight, acknowledging that the world watched as relationships formed and dissolved in real time. She recalls a relationship with Alexandre Mytton during the Chelsea era, when many of her early romantic decisions were aired publicly. The experience, she says, was formative in its own way: it taught her about vulnerability, resilience and the boundaries she now seeks to protect for her children.
While her personal history is layered with adolescence, breakups and a steely will to move forward, Felstead has also built a thriving professional life. She is balancing motherhood with a growing business portfolio, most notably a new Marks & Spencer children’s range inspired by the countryside upbringing she cherishes. The line—designed for accessibility and charm—draws on the private, idyllic memories of family life in East Sussex: ponies, ducks in the garden and days spent in sailor outfits and tartan dresses. The collection is set to hit stores and online on September 25, a milestone that Felstead calls the biggest career highlight to date.
In addition to her retail venture, Felstead is navigating the evolving terrain of parenting influence. Her three children have already modeled the M&S range, and she expects their involvement to wind down as they grow and decide how much of their lives they want to share. She emphasizes pride in her family and says that, while sharing is part of her public identity, her priority remains protecting her children’s privacy as they mature.
Her current partner, Max Darnton, supports her work but keeps a low profile. He’s described as organized and steady—an anchor for Felstead as she juggles filming commitments, therapy appointments and the responsibilities of co-parenting. The couple married in 2021, and while Max’s professional world is not part of the camera’s frame, his backing is a steadying influence on a life that has always felt like it moves at warp speed.
The arc of Felstead’s career—from reality TV newcomer to a television presence with a growing merchandising empire—illustrates the broader evolution of influencers who matured in public view. She argues that her path was never about chasing the glitter, but about translating personal experience into products and platforms that can help other parents. She remains clear-eyed about the pressure that comes with visibility and about the need to protect her children from the worst excesses of public scrutiny.
Ultimately, Felstead frames this moment as a reckoning with the past and a stepping-stone for the future. The MS diagnosis in her family, the ongoing therapy she attends, and the new M&S line are not isolated stories but threads of a single, continuing narrative: a life in which resilience and tenderness coexist with a public life that continues to grow—and change.