Last updated at 16:52, Monday, 15 October 2012

JENNIE Wilcock is a now media star.

The unassuming 69-year-old Barrow woman has been in great demand ever since the Evening Mail revealed her hereditary links to American political royalty in July.

As the fourth cousin of presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, Mrs Wilcock has been sought out by global news agency Reuters, Sky News, the BBC and even Iranian and Arabic news organisations.

Her elevated profile has not gone unnoticed around Barrow either.

Often when out shopping she will be stopped by people who have seen her face on TV or in the paper.

Even Mrs Wilcock’s own family cannot resist sending a few good-natured digs her way on occasions over her new-found celebrity.

“They keep saying ‘I want your autograph, I want your autograph’,” she said with a wry smile from her Robert Street home.

“I’ve had lots of different people coming (to interview me). I didn’t expect any of this, but it’s good.”

Mrs Wilcock was oblivious to her famous cousin until her grand-daughter Maria Nash’s husband Simon traced his wife’s family tree.

He found the retired factory worker and Mr Romney, who has an estimated fortune in excess of £100m, share the same great-great-great grandfather in George Romney, who was born in Dalton in 1781.

While some Romneys remained in Cumbria and Lancashire, others converted to Mormonism before traveling to America in 1841 for new opportunities.

Mrs Wilcock has little care for politics either at home or abroad, but she does admit to taking more than a passing interest Mr Romney’s progress on the campaign trail.

The Republican nominee’s tilt at the White House appeared to be petering out until victory over incumbent Barack Obama in the first presidential debate revived his chances.

“It would be nice if he won,” she said. “(A story about Mr Romney) was on TV the other day and I was watching it.”

Mrs Wilcock says she will be glued to her TV for news of tomorrow’s second debate between the two presidential candidates.

“There’s also some people coming around soon to film me watching a debate, too,” she added.

First published at 16:21, Monday, 15 October 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk