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Lisa Faulkner becomes emotional in rare interview about adopting daughter Billie

The former EastEnders actress shares Billie with ex-husband Chris Coghill

lisa faulkner daughter
Hanna Fillingham
US Managing Editor
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Lisa Faulkner is a doting mum to daughter Billie, 13, who she fostered and then adopted with ex-husband Chris Coghill at 17 months old. The former MasterChef winner is extremely private when it comes to her personal life, but on Friday she opened up about her family while chatting on Kate Thornton's podcast, White Wine Question Time, which focused on her journey to adopting her daughter. During the emotional conversation, Lisa was asked about her first memory meeting Billie, and she said: "I remember the smell of the washing powder – Fairy. I changed for her. I remember the smell of the washing powder and thinking that all my clothes will smell like this as I smelt her. As she was with a foster carer and it's such a big transition to move from one person to another person, so everything I had I washed in the same washing powder and I remember smelling her for the first time, and thinking that this is the smell now."

lisa faulkner daughter billie interview

Lisa Faulkner spoke about adopting her daughter Billie while on Kate Thornton's podcast

The star also opened up about how she parents her daughter as she opened up about her adoption. She said: "It's not an excuse [her adoption] and it's not a tag she wears around her neck, but there is a plus. I call it a plus, and I have to parent slightly differently. And all I can do as her mother is hold her hand through it."

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lisa faulkner daughter billie

Lisa recently went on holiday with her daughter and her famous friends

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Lisa added: "What I say to her all the time is that I am not responsible for what happened, but what I am responsible for the fact that you are safe, and that you are my girl, and that I will hold your hand through all the things that you might have to go through. Because I can't make it all better, but I can always be there. And even when I am shouting at you, or you don't want to be here because you want to be with your mates, that's fine because you are shouting in a safe place. And you know whatever I say, and whatever you say, I come and kiss your little head at night and it's okay." "She is my absolute life, she is the one person who I would one hundred percent fight until the day I die for," the former EastEnders actress added of her daughter.

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