EMILY PRESCOTT: Quitting BBC is heavenly for Emily Maitlis as she enjoys £10k fitness freebie

She endured a few bruising battles during her time at the BBC and was reprimanded by Corporation bosses for her Newsnight monologue about Dominic Cummings’ trip to Barnard Castle during lockdown.

So Emily Maitlis might have been expected to enjoy a relaxing break before starting her new job presenting a podcast for Global.

But instead she embarked on a £10,000 intensive fitness retreat in Italy, where she sweated it out with a Hollywood A-lister and a former member of Donald Trump’s staff.

‘MAGICAL’: The Ranch Italy where Emily was rejuvenated

Now free from BBC restrictions, Emily took up a complimentary trip to The Ranch Italy – an offshoot of California’s The Ranch Malibu, whose clients include Elle Macpherson and actress Rebel Wilson – and wrote a gushing review in return.

Describing daily four-hour hikes, Emily said: ‘After two hours, they radio you to tell you to turn back – and you follow the flags back home, like Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road.’

However, she admitted that having to carry walking poles killed her ‘cool vibe.’

Emily enthuses about the free massages saying: ‘This becomes my focal point for every single day. It’s magical and professional and caring and releasing. It’s heaven.’

It’s not all glamorous, though, as guests at The Ranch have to give urine samples and buy into New Age trends by writing letters to their future selves.

But it seems Emily bought into it all, reporting that the retreat even worked medical miracles, making her painful foot condition plantar fasciitis disappear. Fancy!