Louise Redknapp has defended her friend Daisy Lowe in the wake of confirming she’s living apart from husband Jamie.
When rumours first surfaced that things weren’t going well for Louise and Jamie, and that they’d be divorced by Christmas, Louise’s Strictly co-star Daisy found herself in the firing line.
The 28-year-old was accused of leading Louise astray with wild nights out, but in an interview with Stella magazine, Louise has hit out at critics of Daisy, insisting she’s just been a good friend.
“I’m a 42-year-old woman. Daisy is a mate who is an incredible cheerleader at a time when I’ve needed a lot of support,” Louise revealed.
“She’s a breath of fresh air because she has absolutely no filter. She completely believes in following your passion and fulfilling yourself as a woman, which I find really inspiring.
She added that Daisy, who apparently burst into her dressing room on Strictly and encouraged her to wear a sexy dress, “loves other women and she’s all about body confidence.
“Her saying that was like a jolt because I was so conscious of my fat ankles and my excess half-a-stone.
“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 also confirmed in the interview that she and husband Jamie are living apart and revealed that although it’s hard, it’s something she needs to do.
Louise is still wearing her wedding ring and a recent appearance on This Morning only saw her reveal the pair were “putting the children first”.
Read more: Louise Redknapp flashes wedding ring amidst marriage split rumours
But she told the magazine: “It’s so hard because I love him,” she said. “He’s an amazing man and we’ve had 20 good years together.
“I know he’s trying to understand that I need to do this.”
She went on to add that a “sweeping staircase and designer handbag” aren’t what makes her happy and that “being fulfilled, being true to yourself, following your passion, they are the things that make you happy.
“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 I need to do – for me.”
Louise is currently starring in Cabaret and says she feels like she’s getting her life back a little bit.
She and Jamie married 19 years ago, and have two children Charley, 12, and nine-year-old Beau. Louise gave up performing when she had Charley and dedicated herself to being a mum.
“I feel I’m coming back to who I really am,” she admitted. “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 home, looking after my kids and my husband.
“I lost myself.”
Read more: Louise Redknapp opens up about marriage troubles on This Morning
She continued: “I became a sort of Stepford Wife, wanting to be perfect at it. It was only when I agreed to do Strictly Come Dancing that I realised I couldn’t just go back to that.
“I didn’t want to continue running around after everyone else and occasionally promoting a yogurt or doing a little TV presenting job.
“I wanted to sing, I wanted to perform. I wanted to go back to work on a stage in front of an audience. I actually felt physically sick at the idea that I’d never have that buzz again, that fulfilment that I get from performing.
“And that is when the [bleep] hit the fan. No one could understand why it was so desperately important to me.”