Louise Redknapp has admitted that she felt like a 'Stepford wife' during her marriage, after confirming rumours that she has split from husband of nineteen years Jamie Redknapp.
The singer, who had a career revival after taking part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, talked honestly with Telegraph's Stella magazine about the amicable separation, explaining that while she and Jamie were living apart, she still loves him and they still speak every day - she's just taking time to focus on herself.
The mum-of-two admitted that while it wasn't the so-called 'curse' of Strictly that caused her to part ways with her other half, it was during the show that she realised she needed to step up and reclaim her identity.
She added that it was forming a friendship with model Daisy Lowe on Strictly Come Dancing that gave her the confidence boost she needed after years staying at home bring up her sons, Charley, 13, and eight-year-old Beau.
'I've spent most my life pleasing everyone else,' Louise told the title.
'[Always] worrying about being judged and thinking I should always do the right thing by staying at home, looking after my kids and my husband. I lost myself.'
'I became a sort of Stepford Wife, wanting to be perfect at it. It was only when I agreed to do Strictly that I realised I couldn't go back to that.'
Louise admitted that it was hard to watch her husband's public profile soar on TV as her own career was on hold for school runs and sports matches.
She said to the paper that deciding to do Strictly was the first selfish thing she had done since becoming a mum, and signed up in the hope of losing some weight after a friend persuaded her to go for it. There she met Daisy Lowe, who Louise says, encouraged her to show off her figure.
'Oh my God, look at your gorgeous body. You have to wear a sexy dress,' the model reportedly told Louise at the time.
Louise and Jamie, 44, tied the knot in a whirlwind wedding in Bermuda, in 1998. 'Neither of us wanted a big glitzy wedding,' Louise told The Sun at the time.
The former Eternal singer is on a roll, currently starring in the London production of Cabaret alongside her Strictly co-star Will Young.
She's due to perform her first comeback gig in December, with a tour to follow next year.
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