Gabby Logan has revealed her promising showjumper daughter Lois has been diagnosed with a chronic health condition that could stop her competing in ‘extreme’ athletic events.
The Match of the Day host, 52, said this week that Lois, 20, has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) but admitted she felt a sense of relief when a specialist advised her daughter against extreme sports.
PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disorders affecting women of reproductive age, impacting between eight and 13 per cent of women worldwide
It causes a range of symptoms including irregular or absent periods, excessive facial and body hair, acne, weight gain and fertility challenges.
Speaking on her Mid-Point podcast on Wednesday, Gabby said: ‘Lois was recently – she won’t mind me saying this – diagnosed with PCOS,’
She continued: ‘And when we went to see the specialist, she said, “Really, you know, extreme running’s not great for you, Lois.”‘
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Gabby Logan has revealed her promising showjumper daughter Lois has been diagnosed with a chronic health condition that could stop her competing in ‘extreme’ athletic events (Gabby pictured 2024)
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The Match of the Day host, 52, said this week that Lois, 20, has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) but admitted she felt a sense of relief when a specialist advised her daughter against extreme sports (both pictured 2024)
Gabby and Lois memorably ran the London Landmarks Half-Marathon together in April 2024, a challenge the former Olympic gymnast described as ‘mental’ due to the level of training required.
While she enjoyed the experience overall, she admitted she was relieved she wouldn’t have to repeat it after hearing the doctor’s advice. ‘I just went, “Yes!”‘ she recalled.
The mother-of-two explained that sadly Lois had dreamed of tackling another half marathon together, but they’ve now been forced to scale back their ambitions.
Gabby revealed: ‘She did actually want to do another half-marathon with me, but then she said, maybe we should just do some 5Ks together, mum. But [the half marathon] was such a lovely experience.’
The NHS describes PCOS as a chronic condition characterised by increased levels of insulin and androgens – male-type hormones – in the body.
Many women with PCOS also experience insulin resistance, putting them at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
While exercise is generally recommended for managing PCOS symptoms, some medical specialists advise patients to be cautious about excessive high-intensity workouts, with research suggesting that too much intense exercise can increase cortisol levels – the stress hormone – which may worsen symptoms in some cases.
Instead, moderate-intensity activities like brisk walking, combined with strength training, are often considered more beneficial.
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Speaking on her Mid-Point podcast on Wednesday, Gabby said: ‘Lois was recently – she won’t mind me saying this – diagnosed with PCOS, and when we went to see the specialist, she said, “Really, you know, extreme running’s not great for you, Lois” (pictured 2021)
RISK FACTORS FOR POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects between eight and 12 percent of American women.
The condition is marked by chronic ovarian cysts, which are fluid-filled sacs that can form if a follicle fails to deposit an egg.
While any woman can get ovarian cysts, those with PCOS also have elevated levels of the male hormone, androgen.
Scientists do not know what causes this endocrine abnormality, but it often coincides with obesity and insulin resistance.
Yet, like many aspects of PCOS, obesity contribute to the development of PCOS, or the relationship may go in the opposite direction, such that PCOS causes weight gain.
Showjumper Lois – the twin daughter of Gabby and former Scotland rugby international Kenny Logan, 52 – has been riding since she was eight years old.
At just 16, she qualified for the prestigious Horse Of The Year Show and won two classes at the British Showjumping National Championships in 2022.
Despite her mother’s hopes that she would become a tennis star, Lois fell in love with horses after the family moved to their Buckinghamshire home a decade ago.
‘My mum wanted me to be a tennis player. She was like: “I really, really tried, but you didn’t want to,”‘ Lois has said previously. ‘Now I say to her: “I wish you’d pushed me harder to do tennis, because I could have been a really good player by now.”‘
The geography student at Loughborough University has continued competing at high levels in showjumping, even taking on the challenge of the Markel Magnolia Cup at Goodwood in July 2025 – a prestigious charity race where showjumpers become jockeys for the day.
Lois described that experience as ‘brutal’, telling the magazine: ‘I’ve always been a very sporty person, but I’ve never done anything as brutal as this. It’s been tough.’
The April 2024 half-marathon marked Gabby’s return to long-distance running after 20 years, running in support of Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity where she serves as president.
The BBC star persuaded Lois to join her for the challenge, with both crossing the finish line together.
While Gabby found the experience demanding, she said she was grateful for the mother-daughter bonding experience.
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Aside from competing in marathons, showjumper Lois – the twin daughter of Gabby and former Scotland rugby international Kenny Logan, 52 – has been riding since she was eight years old (Lois pictured with her brother Reuben and parents Gabby and Kenny last year)
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She told Hello! last October: ‘It was so hard fitting all the training, I remember coming back from the Six Nations match in Edinburgh, and it was too dark to run outside, so I had to do 18k on a treadmill. That was a mental exercise!
‘But when we did it, it felt so lovely, doing it with her. It was tough, but again it felt like filling up that pool that needs nourishing.
‘I think purpose is a really important and significant factor in happiness. If you lose that in midlife, you can start to lose your way.’
Gabby, who represented Wales in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, married Kenny on July 19, 2001. The couple welcomed Lois and Reuben in 2005 via IVF.
Their son Reuben has followed in his father’s footsteps, playing professional rugby as a back-row player for Northampton Saints, making his professional debut in September 2023.
Gabby LoganMatch
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