Jamie and Louise Redknapp will not be starting the New Year as a couple, if recent revelations that they are officially to divorce after 19 years of marriage are true.
“But the estranged couple are determined to have this Christmas all together as a family, for the sake of their two sons.
The pair will be reuniting and staging traditional Christmas celebrations in the family home, according to Woman magazine.
“Problems in Jamie and Louise’s marriage were first reported by The Sun in April, and things appear to have got steadily worse all year.”
“But mum of two Louise, 43, is determined to have all her brood back together for the holidays.
“She wants her boys to experience at least one final family Christmas before she and Jamie make a decision over their marriage,” a friend told Woman magazine.
“Louise misses what she has – there’s no denying that.
“It’s clear the couple are keen to put the family first, so let’s hope 2018 will be the new beginning Louise and Jamie so desperately need.”
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Louise is keen to spend the holidays with sons Charley, 13, and Beau, nine, and Jamie, before she goes on tour in January.
While she has still been wearing her wedding ring, former footballer turned TV star Jamie took his ring off several weeks ago.
Problems in the couple’s marriage were blamed on ‘the Strictly curse’, after Louise took part in the show last year and finished runner up.
“She also took part in the live tour, which meant a lot of time away from home.
And her friendship with fellow Strictly celeb Daisy Lowe came under the spotlight.
Louise herself gave an interview where she spoke about the pressures of trying to be a perfect wife and mother.
The former Eternal singer, who married England star Jamie in June 1998 when she was just 23, said: “I have spent most of my life pleasing everyone else, 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.
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She also appeared on This Morning, where she discussed the problems within her marriage with host Eamonn Holmes.
“I think that it has been so heavily documented and of course we all go through hard times,” she said.
“My priority and his priority is our children and protecting them and keeping as much of it as private as possible and loving them and putting them first and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
“Sounds like a good idea – we wish them all a Merry Christmas.