Noughties pop legend reveals secret backstage struggle after joining Hollyoaks

FORMER pop star Jamelia has revealed her secret parenting struggle after she joined the cast of Hollyoaks.

The former Loose Women panelist revealed how she was left pumping milk between breaks on set.

Jamelia, 42, first appeared in the Chester based soap in 2021, playing the role of Sharon Bailey.

But earlier this month, it was announced the TV personality is set to make her on-screen return in a full time capacity.

But despite the exciting career move, Jamelia has admitted that she has struggled behind the scenes during filming.

She admitted: “If I said it had been a walk in the park, that would be a lie. I’ve been pumping milk between breaks and doing it through the night to leave milk at home.

“That said, I had a sense of pride that I’ve been getting up and going to work.”

This comes after the star gave birth to her fourth child in October 2022.

The singer said her C-section was “incredibly traumatic” and should act as a contraceptive for her teen daughter Tiani, 17, who saw it all.

Jamelia told Hello!: “It was so scary. I felt like I was in labour for a month, but the main objective was to keep the baby in for as long as possible. I just had to hold on.

“I’d only ever seen a C-section on the telly, and thought: ‘Oh well, at least it’s going to be straightforward and I’ll be out in five minutes.’ There’s this idea of ‘too posh to push’ – that it’s the easier option. But I found it incredibly traumatic. And then you’re recovering from major surgery while looking after a newborn.”

The star’s husband, whose identity Jamelia keeps secret, remained at home to look after their youngest daughter True, four.