Her world came crashing down around her when she announced her shock split from husband Riad Erraji in July after almost six years of marriage. But Natasha Hamilton has now opened up about her devastation surrounding her relationship breakdown as she posed nude for this week’s issue of Closer magazine.
Baring all as she stripped off in a tasteful naked shoot, the 31-year-old singer was defiant as she vowed she would never fail her sons, Josh, 11, Harry, eight, and Alfie, three, despite struggling to come to terms with her marriage being over.
Speaking in an interview with Closer’s New You supplement, she said: ‘There are times when I’m an emotional wreck, but I feel like I’m getting stronger and moving on. ‘I thought Riad and I were solid and would be able towork through any problems – but then there wasn’t a major problem. We just drifted apart. But while I might have failed as a wife, I’ll never fail as a mother.’
Although it might be hard to believe as she showed off her impeccable figure and perfect porcelain skin in the nude shoot, Natasha confessed a lack of intimacy between the couple might have been to blame for their marital split. She explained: ‘We were so busy, we lost sight of ourselves as a couple. We were living like friends, not husband and wife.
‘I don’t think it helped that we often had the boys sleeping in our bed. But Alfie was really ill with chest infections in his first year and had a heart murmur, so we always felt happier when he was with us. ‘Of course that takes its toll on you intimately, but Alfie’s wellbeing was – and is – our priority.’ The Atomic Kitten star is now coming to terms with being a single mother, but explained while she’s ‘exhausted’ when she is on her own with the boys, she feels ‘alone’ when they’re not with her.
She added: ‘When the boys are with me, I have to do everything so, by bedtime, I’m exhausted. But when they’re with Riad, I feel alone. My instinct is to invite a friend over, but I tell myself: ‘You’re going to have to get used to this. ‘We’re not enemies. I know there’s a bumpy ride ahead. There’s loads to sort out now we’ve split, but I hope we can both be mature for the sake of the kids.’
For the time being, Natasha is having to cope with seeing Riad move on with new women, namely Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison, 25, who he was seen out on a date with last month. She said: ‘It was very surreal and gut-wrenching to see Riad with someone else. I knew it was inevitable, but that doesn’t stop it from hurting. He was the love of my life.
‘A friend told me about the pictures – I’d never heard of Vicky before. It was horrible to see them, but at least it’s done now. I feel it’s another part of the break-up I’ve been able to deal with and I suppose it means I can move on that bit more.’
Source: Dailymail