Heidi Range on becoming a mum after Sugababes – ‘The focus is no longer if I’m a size 8 or 12′

2023-04-19

Heidi Range may be best known for being in one of the biggest ever girl bands in the UK, but when we call her for a chat over Zoom, the former Sugababes singer admits her music career “feels like a past life”.

Heidi, 39, hung up her mic when she became pregnant with her first daughter. She has spent the past few years being a full-time mum to Aurelia, five, and 19-month-old Athena, who she shares with her husband, Alex Partakis.

But rather than regretting her retirement from music, the star, who enjoyed a string of No1 hits with the band, including Push The Button and Hole In The Head, beams as she tells us she is forever “grateful” to have been at home with her two girls these past few years.

“When I was with the Sugababes, I lived out of a suitcase for about 15 years. And when I had Aurelia, I just wanted to be at home and I was lucky enough to be in a situation where I could make that decision,” she tells us. “That’s been my main focus since I had her and then Athena came along. It’s all been about the girls.”

Heidi – who was originally in Atomic Kitten before she joined the band that would make her famous – goes on to reflect how much her priorities have changed since having kids.

She says, “When you’re in a band, there is so much tension on you as a person and everything is always about you. But when you have kids, it’s suddenly not all about you any more.

“The focus isn’t on how my hair is or if I’m a size 8 or a size 12, there’s bigger fish to fry.”

Heidi says while having their second daughter has “completed their family”, it’s not always been smooth sailing with her and property developer Alex, 43, who she married in 2016.

When we ask if being parents has made them closer, she says, “At times, yes. Other times, no! It has completed our family, the girls are our world. But kids definitely come with their challenges.”

Heidi adds, “It can be stressful at times when you can’t get everyone out the door on time or you’re trying to do a job, especially with our little one. She’s at the age where you need eyes in the back of your head.

"Someone’s always got to be watching her. She’s quite a feisty little thing as well. So she’s always on the move.”

Although Athena can be a handful at times, Heidi tells us Aurelia is a fantastic older sister who helps her out. She says, “Aurelia is great with her. She’s kind, thoughtful and caring. She’s my little helper.”

The star also admits that unlike most parents who dread the school holidays, she loves it when Aurelia is off.

She says, “She’s in reception and I really miss her since she’s at school most of the day, so it’s lovely having her to myself for three weeks and having lazy mornings and hanging out with my little mate again!”

Heidi, who is originally from Liverpool but now lives down south, has often talked publicly about the bond she shares with her own sister Hayley, and she tells us she would be thrilled if her children grow up to have a similar relationship.

She says, “I’m really close with my sister. It’s a real blessing to have two little girls and I hope they have
a similar bond to the one Hayley and I have. She’s my best friend.”

You could be forgiven for thinking that Heidi leads a charmed life, with her handsome husband and her beautiful home and her gorgeous girls, but the singer opens up to us about the two devastating miscarriages she went through after she’d had Aurelia, and admits it was a very “lonely” time for her.

She explains, “I think no matter how far along you are, as soon as you get that positive reading on the [pregnancy] test, your whole world changes. You start thinking about how life is going to be in 12 months’ time.”

The star adds, “With Aurelia, I found getting pregnant easy and it was a really straightforward pregnancy and birth, I just assumed it would be the same again. So, it was a massive shock. It was hard for both of us.

"But now, I do think I would never have Athena if that hadn’t happened. And I kept reminding myself that when it happened to me, I was incredibly lucky to already have a healthy child. She helped me through that time.”

Heidi also says “talking to friends” helped her through the trauma, and admits that one of the hardest things about it all was that she still felt pregnant even though she had miscarried.

“It was Alex’s loss too, but I don’t think anyone knows how you feel unless you’re physically going through it,” she explains. “I had gone for a scan and they told me it was non-viable.

“I had to sit at home and wait to see if the miscarriage would naturally happen. I was at home waiting for it to naturally pass. I was still having all the normal pregnancy symptoms – swollen boobs, cravings, tiredness and nausea, and in the end, it didn’t happen. I had to go in for the procedure.”

Heidi, who is an ambassador for Tommy’s – the largest UK pregnancy and baby loss charity – adds, “I was shocked at how many of my friends had been through it. It can be a lonely thing to go through unless you speak to people around you.”

Heidi will be turning 40 in May, and the star tells us that she’s feeling “excited” about her milestone birthday.

Reflecting on how much she has changed over the years, she says, “I put less pressure on myself. I care less about what other people think and I just feel more secure in myself.

"I go easier on myself. And that’s quite nice when you’ve spent your twenties scrutinising yourself.”

Heidi also tells us she’s keen to get back to work after such a long break and she has one particular job in mind. “I would love to do Strictly Come Dancing!” she tells us.

“I watch it every year and when the opening music comes on, I cry. It’s the most magical show. I still want to be with my girls, but I’m open to new challenges, whatever they are.”

Heidi is now an NSPCC campaigner for Childhood

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