Chigwell’s Ayshen Webbe talks to Natalie Li about navigating motherhood, supporting women, and meeting her husband singer from Blue
Love can blossom when you least expect it and that’s exactly what happened after Ayshen Webbe split up from a long-term partner. Little did she know that she would fall head over heels for Simon Webbe, member of boyband Blue.
But it certainly wasn’t love at first sight, admits Ayshen. “We saw each other at our local Virgin gym in Chigwell. There I was in the sauna, half-naked, and in walks Simon. We chatted and found out that we were both single and he asked me out on a date.
“There wasn’t the initial attraction because I just wasn’t in the headspace after splitting up with my partner of 12 years. But after our date I knew – he made me laugh so much. It was an epic 12-hour date at the Kings Oak Hotel in Loughton.”
Two years later Simon popped the question and the couple returned to the Kings Oak for their engagement party. In 2018, they finally wed in an intimate ceremony at the Corinthia Hotel in London in front of friends, family and Blue members Lee Ryan, Duncan James and Antony Costa.
It wasn’t the first time the loved-up couple had encountered each other, however. “I was in a girl band called Fe-Nix back in the day, and I bumped into Simon on many occasions throughout my music journey. I definitely wouldn’t flirt when I am engaged to someone else! At music events, I would say ‘hi’ and walk off,” she laughs.
“Those days were tough,” she admits. “I used to work in the city as a personal assistant in the day and save my holidays for rehearsals and supporting N-Dubz on tour. I would finish my office job and head to meet the girls – trying to look half decent. I look back and can’t believe I did it. Everything happens for a reason – I experienced the industry without the money and fame. I’m glad I did because I met my husband.”
Breaking into the industry wasn’t easy. “Simon and I often chat about this,” says Ayshen.
“We both came from families that didn’t have money to go to stage schools. I always wanted to go to Sylvia Young Theatre School, but we couldn’t afford it. I used to buy The Stage newspaper every Thursday, pull out the auditions and turn up and go for it. I sang my heart out every weekend until I found the right group.”
After a stint in the pop industry, Ayshen turned her attention to beauty and lifestyle blogging.
These days the 43-year-old Hackney-born talent manager runs Webbe Industries, working with her sister Bea and Simon to support talent across the entertainment industry.
“It’s an intense job, we manage all the client emails, diaries, travel, logistics, finances, everything that gets thrown at us,” she explains. “We reach out to brands, proactively pushing their career forward. The influencing world is fast-moving. If I didn’t have this job, I wouldn’t be able to raise my child at home in my pyjamas!”
Ayshen’s job fits neatly around her two-year-old daughter Cyan, who was born at Harlow’s Princess Alexandra Hospital. “My sister had her second child at this hospital, and it featured on Delivering Babies, presented by Emma Willis. She went through hell, and they saved her life. The staff were so amazing I just knew we had to have Cyan there.”
Growing up in a tight-knit and supportive Turkish-Cypriot family, who live close by in Gants Hill, keeps Ayshen grounded. She is dedicated to talking about motherhood on her social media platforms and as a co-host to A Woman’s Journey with Chrissy Brown, founder of the Motivational Mums Club. She strongly believes in creating a safe place for women to share their experiences of motherhood and much more.
“It’s important to talk about motherhood,” she states. “I had a really bad pregnancy, and it took me a while to conceive – we experienced miscarriages and complications. The journey was awful due to Covid.
“The whole idea of women bouncing back after birth is frustrating. I had my baby when I was a bit older and everyone expected me to ‘bounce back’. I still had a pregnant belly after six months. I love being a mum, but it’s tiring, and mums shouldn’t be afraid to say that. I try to talk about it on social media and that’s why I started this podcast. I just want to have an honest space for women to talk about any subject. You don’t even have to be a mum – it’s about a woman’s journey. We’ve had a lot of response already and I want to be honest and real about my body and how I am feeling.
“I was so lucky to have Simon around when Cyan was born, during the pandemic, he was so amazing,” Ayshen smiles. “He cooked, he cleaned, did night feeds. For me, it was weight issues that took over and I constantly felt like I had to lose the pounds. It really got me down. I see so many mums looking fabulous and full of energy in size eight jeans months after giving birth. But that’s not the reality for many mums. Women need to stick together and be honest. We need to be real!”
Busy with motherhood, work and scoping out a new home in Buckhurst Hill or Ongar, Ayshen and Simon try to make time for date nights in Aura restaurant in Loughton and love keeping it local. “Even though Simon is from Manchester, since he has lived Chigwell, he knows Essex better than I do! He is such an Essex boy,” she giggles.
As we chat, it’s clear Ayshen’s journey into motherhood hasn’t been easy, but her upbeat and positive tone suggests genuine contentment. “It can be hard when Simon is off on tour with Blue – you can end up feeling like a single mum because it’s intense. But I can’t tell you how truly grateful and super lucky I am.”
