Penny Lancaster reveals she is officially a qualified police officer and will soon be on patrol

Penny Lancaster has revealed that she is officially a qualified police officer after obtaining her City of London police badge.

Sharing the exciting news on Tuesday’s Loose Women, Penny, 50, told hosts Nadia Sawalha, Jane Moore and Kaye Adams: ‘I finally got my warrant card and a City of London police badge!’

Appearing via videolink for a segment titled ‘PC Penny’, the budding officer looked glamorous in blue shirt as she explained: ‘I was able to finish the court. Me and the specials will be out there [on the streets].’

Penny – who appeared from the luxury living room she shares with her 76-year-old husband Rod Stewart seemed delighted with the update.

The TV personality explained that she had been lucky enough to get out and celebrate her qualification, now that lockdown measures are being slowly eased.

She told the panel: ‘I was lucky enough to go out twice yesterday lunch with my girlfriends and then another celebration with my husband family and friends.

‘One to celebrate coming out of lockdown, to hear other people’s conversations and I was also celebrating my passing out. I finally got my warrant card and a City of London police badge!’

Discussing her determined nature, Penny continued: ‘When I say I’m going to do something, I’m normally 100% in it, especially with lockdown training and doing lessons over Zoom.

‘But I was able to finish the course. In fact I have a few more lessons to go, but my cohort, and me and the specials will be out there. ‘

Penny’s training for the City of London Police took place on one weeknight every week and from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday every other weekend.

The former lingerie model has previously preferred to her police training as being part of ‘who she is’.

Speaking to The Mail On Sunday in December, Penny said: ‘This is who I am. I could be walking the red carpet with Rod, or I could be in our stable with my goats.

‘But there comes a time when everyone questions themselves and asks, “Who am I? Who am I at my core?” This is what I feel I should always have been doing. It’s about identity.’

In 2019, the TV star took part in Channel 4’s Famous and Fighting Crime, where she was seen working with officers from Cambridgeshire Police.

Penny took so much from her stint in uniform that she successfully completed the application process for her new part-time role in the force.

The mother-of-two, who married Sir Rod in 2007, said the experience made her realise how underfunded the police are.

Penny, speaking on an Instagram Live chat with her former Strictly Come Dancing partner Ian Waite in June, said the force has its work ‘cut out’.

‘I feel sorry for the police right now because they really, really have their work cut out for them trying to create social distancing while trying to arrest someone,’ she remarked.

Opening up about the application process, she added: ‘I did a show called Famous and Fighting Crime where I was involved with the police.

‘It was terrifying but I never felt more comfortable in a position and I felt like this is where I was supposed to be. I have signed up to be an officer.

‘I had to sit exams, English and maths type of exams, and go for an interview with two officers. And then I did a fitness test which was the bleep test which was pretty tricky so I had to get fit for that and I passed.’

Speaking previously about his other half’s career change, Sir Rod said: ‘No one’s ever been able to stop Penny if she’s decided she wants to do something. And I’m always behind her all the way.

‘But am I scared for her? Yes, a little. Did you see that drug addict who threatened to stab her with a needle on the TV show?

‘As long as she’s accompanied at all times by another constable, she’ll be okay.’