Louise Redknapp’s appearance on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ was her first "selfish" act in over 10 years.
The 42-year-old singer was the runner up on the 14th season of the talent competition with professional dancer Kevin Clifton last year, but the nation’s sweetheart – who has sons Beau, eight, and Charley, 13, with her husband and retired professional footballer Jamie Redknapp – has revealed her stint on the BBC One programme marked the one and only time she has put herself ahead of anything else.
Speaking about the show in the May issue of Women’s Health magazine, the golden-haired beauty said: "Doing ‘Strictly’ was the first time I’d been selfish in 12 years."
However, the former Eternal band member – who appeared in the group alongside Easther and Vernie Bennett as well as Kéllé Bryan – was apprehensive about taking part in the show and being open to criticism.
She explained: "The prospect of putting myself out there was daunting; the pressure of being a woman and to look a certain way."
And Louise believes being a parent and a wife to a "successful" spouse makes it difficult for her to have "everything", and she has hinted she put her career on hold because she felt "comfortable" with her situation.
She explained: "Jamie, the foundations of my life, they’re solid. It’s what will always be there. But it is hard when you’re married to someone with a very successful career, and you have children, to have everything. Something has to give somewhere, and I think it was me that gave.
"You get comfortable and you stop chasing the dream a little bit."
However, Louise wouldn’t want to be any other way and is happy with everything she has achieved and how her life has panned out.
She explained: "I wouldn’t give up that time for all the money in the world."
Louise Redknapp: ‘Strictly was the first time I’d been selfish in 12 years’
