Jennifer Zamparelli has bravely opened up about being in a past abusive relationship for the first time.
The popular presenter recalled the relationship during the latest episode of her podcast, Jen and Lottie do…. Parenting.
Speaking to co-host Lottie Ryan, the radio host said she had never publicly opened up about the relationship before.
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In the episode, titled Toxic Relationships and Frisky Pets, the 43-year-old said: “So I am going to say something I have never really said before in public.
“But my name is Jennifer Zamparelli, I am a business woman, I am a presenter on TV and radio, I am a mother of two, I have the most amazing husband… however I was in an abusive relationship in my younger years.”
“That’s the most nervous I’ve been in saying something,” she confessed, admitting, “There is a lot of shame and judgement there.”
“When I was going through this relationship ….my excuse in my head was I thought I could fix him….I thought it would get better… he would always apologise.”
“It was a very toxic, frightening relationship at times,” Jennifer explained.
Jennifer revealed the abuse lasted years, and admitted that she struggled to speak out about it as she felt judged and ashamed.
“It was hard to talk about it because you don’t want to be judged, you don’t want people to go ‘Why didn’t you leave him?’… Even now it’s hard to talk about because I know some people will be thinking ‘why didn’t you just leave if he was so bad and [he was] doing these things?’
“The thing about it is when it’s good it’s really good. But when it was bad it was worse than sh**. And I convinced myself and I told myself that he could change. And that it would get better.”
The presenter recalled how her ex used to “love bomb” her, and said: “You get all this attention, they want to spend all this time with you, they are telling you how amazing you are… I was bombarded with this flattery but there was nothing to it.”
“The first time there was physical contact, and physical abuse I was so afraid to tell anybody because I felt so ashamed of letting it get to that stage. I nearly blamed myself in a way,” she continued.
“I look back at Jennifer Maguire who was in that relationship and I think ‘My god, how did she put up with that? Why did she put up with that?”
Jennifer recalled reaching a turning point after her boyfriend hit her in front of another person.
“I’ll never forget, we lived abroad and he hit me in front of someone else. I did pick up the phone and called a friend of mine,” she explained.
“I never forget the kindness and the understanding and there was no… because to be honest a lot of my friends had warned me… ‘Are you sure this is right?’ ‘There are some red flags’. Very gently warning me about this person…”
The former Apprentice star ended up leaving her ex, and moving in with a friend who took her “under her wing”.
Jennifer said she hoped sharing her story would remind other victims of abuse that “there are good people out there and you deserve, if that’s what you want, to be with those good people”.
“Nobody deserves to live in fear. To be walking on eggshells…that’s being a prisoner in your own life and it took me time to realize this is not how I want my life to be.”
The Irish star brought up the national feminist organisation, Women’s Aid, and explained that they are best to contact if you need help getting out of an abusive relationship.
“If you feel it is not right, it probably isn’t… if you need help… Women’s Aid, they will help you work it out.”
Thankfully, Jennifer managed to get out of the relationship, and is now happily married to her Italian husband Lau Zamparelli.
The couple tied the knot in July 2014, and share two children together – a daughter named Florence, 8, and a son named Enzo, 5.
New episodes of Jen and Lottie do… Parenting are released every Wednesday.
