My thoughts as a Christian woman on Ulrika Jonsson’s bold rebuttal to ageism

When Ulrika Jonsson, 57, appeared on Spencer Matthews’ Untapped podcast recently, she expected to talk about her journey through alcoholism, her hard-won sobriety, and the transformation she’s experienced, inside and out. What I am sure she didn’t expect was the barrage of “nasty” comments about her appearance.

Despite speaking vulnerably about her mental health battles and her year of sobriety, many online fixated not on her words, but her face, specifically, how old they thought she looked. “I understand that an over-tanned, imperfect and AGEING face offends you,” she wrote on Instagram in response. “But try to listen to the words rather than constantly judge women’s appearance. You might learn something.”

Why does ageing offend us so much? In South Africa, the petrol pump attendants used to called me uSisi (Xhosa term of respect for a young woman, meaning sister). In the last year they have started called me Mama…another term of respect, but for an older woman. I don’t like it, realising my face is giving away my age. We all love to hear we look younger than we are, don’t we?

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We live in a culture obsessed with youth. Smooth skin and taut features have become the gold standard of beauty, even though they may be heavily filtered. As Christians, we’re called to live in the truth, but the truth about ageing is something our society would rather ignore or airbrush away.

The Bible is clear that ageing is not a curse. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” And yet, how often do we see grey hair celebrated on our screens or social media feeds?

Perhaps this discomfort with aging is ultimately a fear of death

Perhaps this discomfort with ageing is ultimately a fear of death; the final reminder that we are not in control. But as believers, we know that death has been defeated. Ageing, then, is not something to be feared or hidden, but embraced as part of God’s good design for a full, long life. Ulrika shared that she didn’t wear makeup for the interview, partly because of her lifelong struggle with eczema. For her, cosmetics have long been a painful burden, not a beautifying escape. 

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Scripture tells us that “man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Ulrika’s vulnerability and unfiltered presence reflect a deeper beauty, one forged in honesty, struggle, and hard-won growth.

“I did sort of think I would be dead by now,” she confessed, referencing her father’s early death from a brain haemorrhage

She also expressed something many of us may relate to: surprise and gratitude at still being here. “I did sort of think I would be dead by now,” she confessed, referencing her father’s early death from a brain haemorrhage. But here she is, nearly 58, and instead of despairing, she is choosing to “catch up on the years of negative thinking.”

We talk a lot about the power of gratitude and with good reason. Giving thanks shifts our focus from what’s lacking to what is present, from fear to faith. Ulrika, though not writing from an explicitly Christian standpoint, models this beautifully. In her column for The Sun, Ulrika has discussed how ageing has impacted her confidence and led her to view herself in a harsher, more “rubbish‑to‑average”.

The truth is, when we age we do not become average or forgotten in God’s eyes. We are loved. No matter our past or appearance, we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

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So how do we, as Christian women, push back against the lie that ageing is shameful?

First, we remember who we are. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), at every age. Second, we speak truth to each other. Let’s be the ones who affirm beauty in wisdom, joy, and resilience, not just wrinkle-free skin. And finally, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18). The eternal, not the temporary.

Ulrika Jonsson’s face may be ageing, but what she is revealing is something far more powerful than youthful skin. Ulrika is showing us how to live with courage, honesty, and gratitude. May we be bold enough to the same!