Loose

HALF-TERM is nearly here and while some families are looking to head abroad, Loose Women star Katie Piper says, why not stay closer to home?

For beautiful beaches, plenty of family-friendly hotels and hopefully some sun – head to Kent.

Talking to Sun Travel about her recent ITV series, The Great Escapers, Katie Piper revealed that as a family, she loves heading to the UK coast – and it all started when she was a child.

She told us: “My mum and dad didn’t have a lot of money, so we didn’t really go abroad.

“Instead, we went Kent most years; Margate, Deal, and Broadstairs.

“We’d watch Punch and Judy on the beach, there would be donkey rides and we’d eat big sticks of rock and go to the arcades – we absolutely loved it.

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“I’ve taken my girls back to the very same places, and actually now Margate has had a total makeover – it’s a really nice place to take them back to.”

Here are some of our top tips for each of her favourite spots.

Margate

Margate has been a popular spot for Brits since the 1730s thanks to its sprawling beach, Margate’s Main Sands.

But in February can also wander through Old Town, visit the Old Kent Market and check out the beautiful Shell Grotto or Margate Caves.

With Dreamland closed until April, head to The Wonder Works instead which is filled with model railways and Scalextrics – tickets for adults are £5 and children can explore for £2.50.

Or for more entertainment, there’s also Lost Island Adventure Golf to play mini golf or AR darts.

When it comes to where to eat, head to Palms Pizzeria, a New York-style pizzeria in The Centre that serves massive pizza slices for £4.

For more attractions and restaurants check out these recommendations from locals.

When it comes to staying in Margate a family of four can book a night at the Seaside Escape Two-Bed Apartment for £108 (based on a one-night stay on February 16, 2026).

The self-catering apartment has beachfront access and pretty garden views.

Deal

The relaxed seaside town of Deal is an ideal spot if you want a more chill place to explore.

It has a pebble beach with a 1950s pier with a cafe at the very end.

There are lots of sites to visit like Deal Castle, as well as plenty of features family-friendly cafes, ice cream parlours, and several pubs with play areas like The Coach and The Crown Inn.

Head to Betteshanger Country Park for mountain bike trails and adventure playground.

A one-night stay for a family of four at the Royal Hotel in Deal starts from £160 (based on a one-night stay on February 16, 2026).

The 3-star hotel sits on the seafront in Deal – and the stay includes breakfast.

Broadstairs

Down the coast from Margate is the pretty seaside town of Broadstairs.

The main beach is Viking Bay and for fish and chips, head to The Mermaid restaurant.

For games, head to Broadstairs Leisure amusements for arcades or try out some putting at Lillyputt.

If the weather doesn’t play ball, then you can head indoors to the trampoline parks at Elev8.

The seaside town is also home to Morelli’s Gelato which has been serving fresh ice cream since 1932.

In Broadstairs, a family room in The Royal Albion right on the promenade costs £165 per night (based on a one-night stay on February 16, 2026) and includes breakfast.

As for where Katie is off to next – she reveals the stop is still in the UK.

Katie told us: “We’re looking into a trip at the moment that we want to do in the Easter which is to go to Scotland.

“We’re trying to plan to do it on the sleeper train because it’s a bit of an adventure to go on a sleeper train and my kids have never done that.

“We’ve got a dog now. We got a puppy this year if we go on a sleeper train, then we can take her on the train with us.”

To read more on the Caledonian Sleeper, check out Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding’s experience onboard and what to expect from the en-suite Club cabin.

My seaside town is Time Out’s best UK place to visit in 2025.. it used to be a tourist blackspot but now rivals Brighton.

Plus, here’s another Kent village to visit with no arcades or loud rides – it’s never crowded with a great pub on the beach.

Jane McDonald was a favourite with TV viewers on Loose Women but she quit the show in 2014

Jane McDonald has become a household name thanks to her travel shows and singing career, but many fans still remember her from her Loose Women days.

The 62-year-old star used to be one of the ITV programme’s most popular presenters, chatting over the hottest topics of the day for a decade before announcing that she was permanently vacating her seat on the panel.

While fans of the daytime show have become used to a rotating cast of presenters, many were disappointed to see Jane go when she stepped down in 2014.

So why did she leave Loose Women? And will she ever go back to the show?

When was Jane McDonald on Loose Women?

Jane was already well known for television programme The Cruise and a string of albums when she joined the show as a presenter in 2004.

She featured on Loose Women along fellow stars such as Carol McGiffin, Andrea McLean, Sherrie Hewson and Denise Welch and became hugely popular with viewers.

When did Jane McDonald leave the ITV show?

However, in January 2014, the star announced that she was leaving, telling fans that the time was “right” for her to move on as she had an album and a tour in the pipeline.

She said in a statement at the time: “It has been an incredible 10 years for me on Loose Women and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve got a busy and exciting year coming up with a new album and national concert tour.

“So the time is right for me to step aside from Loose Women and concentrate on new opportunities.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again on tour and I thank you all for your continued support, loyalty and best wishes.”

Would Jane McDonald return as Loose Women panellist?

The star has previously suggested that she isn’t likely to make a permanent return to the programme, as she was widely quoted as telling Woman magazine: “It was a period in time when everything was different. We could get away with things that we could never do now.

“And it was an era of girls who were not just colleagues – we were a force to be reckoned with. We were like Sex And The City when we hit the town. We’d have taken a bullet for each other.”

However, she did add: “Never say never.”

Guest appearances

Jane has gone on to make guest appearances on the ITV show over the years.

In 2021 she returned to the programme to talk about the death of her fiance Eddie Rothe, who had passed away that year after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Opening up in a moving segment, Jane told how it had been a “privilege” to nurse her partner before he died.

“At first I thought, ‘How am I going to do this?’” she said. “But then you get a strength when you are nursing your loved one. I learnt how to do it. I changed all the dressings and I cared for him and I nursed him and I’m glad I did.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website.

Cruising with Jane McDonald is on Channel 5 at 1.05pm on Sunday (February 1).