Ex-BBC reporter happier than ever living in a caravan not paying bills

An ex-BBC reporter says she is ‘happier than ever’ after giving up everything she had and living in a motorhome, where she doesn’t have to pay bills.

Siobhan Daniels, 63, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, says that while there are some things she misses about having a permanent home, she loves her new lifestyle. 

The mother-of-one, who used to work for BBC South East, bought the £40,000 motorhome which she has affectionately named Dora the Explorer three years ago and works at a Dorset farm in exchange for free electricity. 

Her work includes shoveling horse muck – she posted to Instagram with a picture of her muddy wellies with the caption: ‘Gosh it was hard work pushing my wheelbarrow though muddy fields today as I collected the horse poop after all the heavy rain.’ 

The ex-reporter shares updates about her life with her 4617 Instagram followers.  

Recalling how she suffered when she went through menopause, Siobhan opened up about how her mental health began to deteriorate. 

She told the Guardian: ‘I felt anxious, weepy and angry with the world.’ 

Siobhan went on to explain stress began to take over her life and led to her ‘pretending’ because she didn’t know who to turn to for advice.

She added she didn’t feel like she could admit to others that she was struggling in several aspects of her life and felt like she had ‘lost’ her sense of self.

The ex-reporter shares updates about her life with her 4617 Instagram followers, including parts of her work on a Dorset farm

The ex-BBC Reporter revealed that she felt ‘burnout’ at work and ‘anxious and angry at the world’ after the death of her mother and elder sister

Living the wild life: Siohban says she is ‘happier than ever’ and although there are things she misses from her old life, she is happy not to pay any bills.

Siobhan’s book retirement rebel is now out on Amazon for £9.99

As a single mother to her 32-year-old daughter Sammy, Siobhan noted she could not have made such a huge lifestyle change while her daughter was younger.

After a dark period in her 50s she decided to make a change in her life in her 60s. 

That’s when she decided to live on the road, following the death of her mother elder and sister and feeling overwhelmed at work. 

Her new home includes a full-sized shower, fridge freezer, and hob – she has even fitted it out with her very own gin bar. 

Despite giving up a ‘typical’ life Siobhan admits that she is now ‘happier than ever’. 

Last week she gave a talk at the Kendal Mountain Festival on the Cotswold outdoor stage and posted to her Instagram that she was ‘so happy with the turnout’ at the event.  

The ex-reporter has now released a book called Retirement Rebel, about her adventures on the road.