Oprah Winfrey discusses her journey and doubts about reaching 60

Oprah Winfrey has reflected on her journey as she recently opened up about why she 'never' believed she’d reach 60.

While conversing with Al Roker on the Today show, to celebrate his birthday, Winfrey expressed her excitement when Roker asked about her reaction on celebrating her own milestone birthday back in January.

She said, "I was excited to make the number. I’m excited to make every number,"adding, "I remember many, many years ago as a young girl, I always thought I would never make it to the 60s or 70s. I had this number in my head that I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to be out by then.’ "

The talk show host continued, "I don't know why," adding, "I think I had a vision of it when I was a kid and I think it is because under the circumstances that I was living [in] when I was a little girl in Milwaukee on welfare with my mother. What I now know is if I had stayed in those circumstances, I probably wouldn’t be here, healthy and strong and vibrant."

Winfrey was born in 1954 to her single mother Vernita Lee, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 83.

She lived in poverty as a youngster, spending time at various points in her life in Mississippi, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.

Winfrey has also talked about being sexually abused as a youngster and teenager before going on to work in entertainment and news media.