Louise Redknapp on Strictly moment she realised 'I've lost sexiest woman in decade' title

Louise Redknapp has opened up about the moment it struck her that she 'wasn't the sexiest woman of the decade any more' as she appeared on . The former Eternal star took part in the talent show in 2016.

Mum-of-two Louise struggled with confidence issues as she returned to the spotlight following a long absence. Louise even suggested she could pretend to have sustained an injury so she could make an early exit after the first show.

During an appearance on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast, Louise explained: "I realised having the kids and being away from the industry really had taken away my jazz hands ... I was like: 'Where are they?'

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"I think [I had] muscle memory for dance, but not muscle memory for being in the limelight. I think that part had gone. The fear had come in and I think when I was younger, I was completely fearless. I gave everything a go.

"That element of confidence and fearlessness – that had gone. Walking down that opening show and seeing, like, some of the other females in the show and they had their little dresses on and they were so confident.

"I was looking at the other girls and they were shaking their bums and I literally came off the first show, rung my agent and went: 'You've got to get me out of here. This week you can pretend I've broken an ankle'."

She added: "Week one comes, I'm at the top of the stairs, all the other girls have got a sparkly little outfit on, little knickers, high heels. I have got white jazz shoes and a sailors outfit in red. I was thinking: 'I am definitely not the sexiest woman of the decade anymore in this'."

Despite her issues, Louise made it to the 'Strictly' finals with her dance partner Kevin Clifton.

However, she faced another traumatic life event the following year as her marriage to Jamie Redknapp - the father of her two sons - fell apart.

Louise previously admitted she reached "breaking" point after being painted as a "villain" in the aftermath of the split.

Speaking on Fearne Cotton's 'Happy Place' podcast, Louise explained: "Like, if I didn't have my kids, I just, I think I would have just given up. I really do.

"I think I just knew that my kids were my everything and they needed me.

"But I can honestly say, when you're going through something so personal in your own turmoil in your own way, but then to get the barrage of judgment and nastiness.

"I never realised people could be so unkind and say such terrible things. I blew my mind ... I was going through a lot as it was, I was trying to be strong for my kids, whatever had gone on in our life was private - which I do believe that you're entitled to no matter what.

"And God, I was such a villain, and I was breaking, like I was absolutely breaking.

"Beyond what I thought it was possible for a human to break and all along I'm still trying to be a mum. And it was just like every time I went out, and I was trying to put a brave face on and do things, like that was wrong if I didn't.

"I felt like everything I did was so wrong." on awkward moment she thought 'Im not sexiest woman anymore' on Strictly Come Dancing