Michelle Heaton opens up to Closer about the key to keeping her marriage on track and says that her sex life is better than ever
She’s been through hell over the last few years after discovering in 2012 that she carried the BRCA2 gene - which gave her an 80 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and a 30 per cent chance of ovarian cancer – undergoing a double mastectomy and hysterectomy and being pushed into early menopause.
But as she prepares to reach the milestone age of 40 next year, Michelle Heaton says she’s feeling better than ever and insists her sex life – which she previously admitted had stalled due to her early menopause – is back on track with husband of ten years Hugh Hanley.
“A couple of years ago, my marriage was a bit touch and go," admits Michelle. "Not because of anything between Hugh and I but because of what I was going through. It wasn’t a relationship thing, it was my relationship with menopause. Then this year, something just clicked and things have just been better with Hugh - in every way! My libido is back - my sexy spark and I make time for date nights. Hugh has a smile back on his face!”
CHECK OUT The UK's favourite top 20 Christmas number ones
The UK's favourite top 20 Christmas number ones - SLIDER
1 of 201) Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody was released in 1975, but has stood the test of time and is still wildly popular to this day as proven by 35% of the voters.
2 of 202) Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody
Noddy Holder's famous screech of "IT'S CHRISTMAS!" will go down in history from this song released in 1973, chosen by 25% of voters.
3 of 203) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
24% of voters chose Bob Geldof's 1984 anthem which highlighted the issues that were ongoing in other countries.
4 of 204) Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
Whitney recorded Dolly Parton's hit for the film The Bodyguard which she starred in with Kevin Costner in 1992 which got 17% of the votes.
5 of 205) Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
This has been one of the stalwart songs of the festive period since its release in 1985, winning 16% of the votes.
6 of 206) Harry Belafonte – Mary’s Boy Child
This 1956 track received 15% of the votes.
7 of 207) East 17 - Stay Another Day
East 17's 1994 ballad is synonymous with Christmas, winning 13% of the votes.
8 of 208) Band Aid II – Do They Know It’s Christmas?
The second version of Do They Know It's Christmas? was released five years later in 1989, and is popular with 13% of voters.
9 of 209) Mud – Lonely This Christmas
Also winning 13% of the votes is Mud with 1974's Lonely This Christmas, for which they took inspiration from the late Elvis Presley.
10 of 2010) Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah
The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke's cover of Hallelujah in 2008 is the most recent release in the list, also winning 13% of votes.
11 of 2011) The Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand
The Beatles' I Wanna Hold Your Hand is the first of three Beatles tracks on the list - this came out in 1964 and garnered 12% of the votes on this poll.
12 of 2012) Elvis Presley – Return to Sender
Elvis Presley's Return To Sender was produced for the 1962 film Girls! Girls! Girls! and received 11% of votes.
13 of 2013) Johnny Mathis – When a Child is Born
Another Christmas cracker, Johnny Mathis' cover of When A Child Is Born was released in 1976 and won 11% of votes.
14 of 2014) Michael Jackson – Earth Song
The late Michael Jackson's Earth Song won the top spot in 1995, and was popular with 11% of votes.
15 of 2015) The Human League – Don’t You Want Me
People love this song no matter what time of year it is, but it won the Christmas number one spot in 1981 - and 10% of the votes.
16 of 2016) Spice Girls – 2 Become 1
This 1996 banger is the soundtrack to all 90s kids' childhoods - so it's no surprise that 2 Become 1 made the list with 10%.
17 of 2017) Boney M – Mary’s Boy Child
Boney M's version of Mary's Boy Child also appears in the list - their 1981 version won 10% of the votes.
18 of 2018) Pet Shop Boys – Always on My Mind
Pet Shop Boys' 1988 hit Always On My Mind won 9% of the votes.
19 of 2019) The Beatles – I Feel Fine
The second of The Beatles' hits to appear on this list was I Feel Fine, released in 1964 and was voted best Christmas song by 8%.
20 of 2020) The Beatles – Day Tripper/ We Can Work It Out
The final song on the list is none other than - you guessed it - The Beatles! Their 1965 hit won 8% of votes.
Michelle – who has two children, Faith, six, and AJ, four, with Hugh - adds, “I would love us to renew our wedding vows when the children are a little bit older and have a massive family trip. Maybe next year when I celebrate turning 40. We’ve been through a rollercoaster, come through and reached that 10-year point, and we’ve both evolved together. That’s what makes a marriage work.
"I couldn’t imagine life without Hugh. I’m very lucky to have him. I feel like I am punching - definitely. My husband is way hotter than I am!”
Michelle rose to fame in the pop group Liberty X back in 2001. After a brief marriage to Andy Scott-Lee ended in 2008, she met Irish businessman Hugh and married in July 2010, before welcoming her two children.
In 2012, she discovered she carried the potentially deadly BRCA2 gene and had a double mastectomy in 2014 and a hysterectomy the following year.
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She says, “Hugh sent me such a sweet video message when I appeared on Loose Women recently and he called me ‘the best wife and mum’ over the way I’ve handled my early menopause. The fact that he did that knowing it was going on to national TV amazed me and made me break down and cry as he's so private. I haven’t been an amazing wife - I am a handful! - but the fact he said that means so much.”
Michelle has long been a big fan of exercise, running the London Marathon in 2010 and becoming a qualified personal trainer.
But the singer, 39, who is on HRT (hormone replacement therapy), admits she’s gained almost a stone due to her fluctuating hormones recently – and says she’s struggling to accept her changing body.
“I have put on over three quarters of a stone since last year. I can’t get my head around it, as nothing has changed in my fitness regime or diet. It’s just age, menopause and the hormone switch. I feel like losing weight is just ten times harder. It’s easy to stay on top of calories but when hormones are introduced to your body, as they are in menopause, it’s different.
"I am trying to ignore what the scales say as I am still fitting into my clothes but just not as easily. It is hard to accept but it is just one of those things that happens. This is my new body. I was a size 8 before and now I am a size 8/10. Hugh never comments negatively on my body - he will tell me I look amazing whatever!
“Hugh is just amazing and I know he would never leave me - which kills me even more because most men would have left their partner after what we’ve been through.”
Michelle Heaton has teamed up with Femarelle®, the only food supplement that has DT56a, an ingredient developed using soy derivatives. Visit www.femarelle.co.uk