Louise Redknapp has opened up about her friendship with former Strictly co-star Daisy Lowe, and revealed the huge impact that the BBC dance show had on her marriage. Confirming that she and her husband Jamie Redknapp are now living apart, the 42-year-old said a pivotal moment came when Daisy, 28, walked into her dressing room and told her: "Oh my God, look at your gorgeous body. You have to wear a sexy dress."
Louise Redknapp and Daisy Lowe have become close friends since their time together on Strictly
"She kept on at me to wear something sexy, and by week three I was in a leotard and tights not feeling self-conscious at all," Louise told The Telegraph's Stella magazine. "I could feel myself changing week by week. Sometimes I felt like crying because deep down inside me this voice was screaming, 'This is what I have been missing.'"
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Louise gave up her music career to care for her two sons, Charley, 13 and Beau, eight. She described taking part in Strictly as "the first selfish thing I have done since my kids were born". The former Eternal star also admitted she felt jealous of Jamie when he moved on from professional football to present on Sky Sports and then become a panellist on A League Of Their Own. "I was proud of him but there was part of me thinking that's my world," she said. "I could see the excitement he got out of it and I knew how that felt. But it wasn't me feeling it anymore."
Louise reached the 2016 final of the dance competition
In the candid interview, Louise confirmed that she and Jamie are now living apart while she re-evaluates her life, but said neither of them are pushing for a divorce. "He's an amazing man and we've had 20 good years together," she said. "I know he's trying to understand that I do need to do this." She added: "I have no idea what is going to happen, all I know is that I fought for this, it's taken everything, but this is something that I need to do – for me."
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