When former Atomic Kitten and Real Housewives of Cheshire star Natasha Hamilton clicked ‘post’ on a picture of herself in a swimsuit on Instagram last month, she was immediately flooded with likes and comments. The singer, who was in Rio, Brazil, at the time, captioned the post with her thoughts on finding body confidence and loving yourself. But it’s been a long road to body acceptance for mum-of-five Natasha, who suffered a series of health setbacks last year.
She tells Closer, ‘My body has been through a lot, especially after a fifth baby. The skin on my stomach has changed – there’s not much collagen left, just lumps, bumps and more veins!
‘On the beach in Rio, the women oozed body confidence. They were every shape and size, wearing the tiniest Brazilian-cut bikinis, living their best life and not self-conscious. I thought, “I’m wasting so much energy on feeling insecure when my body has given me this incredible big family.” It was a lightbulb moment of realising I didn’t want to spend years beating myself up when I have so much to be proud of.’
Natasha – mum to Josh, 22, Harry, 20, Alfie, 14, and Ella, 10, from her previous relationships, and daughter Kitty, one, with husband Charles Gay – says her partner is also brilliant at boosting her confidence. The couple got together in 2016 and married in Lake Como in Italy in 2021.
‘I definitely know he still fancies me!’ she laughs. ‘But when you’re feeling insecure about yourself, sometimes it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks if you don’t feel it yourself. I feel because I’ve changed my mentality, I hear his positive comments a lot more.’
Last year was tough for Natasha, after she was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, battled perimenopausal symptoms and dealt with a terrifying cancer scare.
‘Last year was difficult. I was slowly unravelling with anxiety and lack of confidence in myself,’ she admits. ‘My body was going through changes, but I didn’t know what they were. I was waking up unable to move my neck or my shoulders, and having to roll out of bed. I was in so much pain, it was like my body had crashed. So I had blood tests, which showed I had an underactive thyroid.’
It took four months to find the right thyroid medication, then Natasha was hit with a new set of symptoms. She says, ‘In the summer, I started having the worst anxiety. My brain couldn’t work out how to do simple things like pack a suitcase, which sounds stupid, but it frightened me. I felt on edge constantly and everything irritated me, even my husband, which it feels terrible saying as he’s my best friend.
‘It was completely exhausting having a baby and still having to show up and be Mum for everyone else, and be “Tash the pop star”. I thought, “I don’t know if I can do this anymore; I don’t have it in me.” So, I went back to my doctor and had more blood tests and found out I was in the swings of perimenopause.’
Natasha started taking HRT straightaway and says it’s been a lifesaver. She says, ‘I had to get back to being a functioning mother and it’s been incredible.’
The singer reveals she’s making self-care her priority after being dealt yet another worrying health blow in 2021. She says, ‘I was diagnosed with skin cancer, which was taken away and it was all fine, but it was a moment of, “Oh, I’m not invincible”. I made a promise to myself about filling my cup first and putting more “me-time” in. I take vitamins, I’m getting back into a fitness regime, using the Peloton and going to the gym, and every month we’ll do something nice just for us, like going to a spa.’
With five children between the ages of 22 years and 17 months, parenting is certainly a juggle, and Natasha admits that having another baby in her 40s has been an adjustment. She says, ‘The tiredness of having a baby at an older age was intense, especially with underlying health issues. Being totally honest, I think there was a bit of mourning my old life because the kids were growing up and we’d got a bit of our lives back. Obviously I now see the beauty in what we have and I’m so grateful for Kitty.
‘And I’ve raised two fully-grown men – incredible humans who are respectful and empathic. It hasn’t all come from me of course, but I’m so proud.’
Work is also important to Natasha and, after finding fame with noughties girl band Atomic Kitten, she’s now embracing her new venture as a solo artist, releasing music under her own label.
She says, ‘My journey as a songwriter has been liberating. Back in the Atomic Kitten days, I used to shy away from writing because I didn’t have the confidence to do it. I’ve met some incredible songwriters and producers who get me, and I’m writing songs I’m truly proud of.’
Natasha’s new single, Burning Letters, is out now.