Kimberley:
“Cheryl’s an amazing mum!”
She was one fifth of Girls Aloud and is now a married mum-of-two, having stepped out of the spotlight to build a family. And now Kimberley Walsh tells Closer how she loves having playdates with former bandmate Cheryl and her son Bear, and that she’s thrilled to be experiencing motherhood alongside her best friend.
She reveals, “Cheryl’s an amazing mum, as I knew she would be. I see her all the time and the boys are always together. – Cole is pretty much trampling over Bear at the moment, though, so I have to hold him back because he’s crawling and Bear’s not at that stage. It’s so lovely that we’re going through it together.”
Kimberley, 35, is mum to Bobby, three, and nine-month-old Cole with long-term partner and former boyband member Justin Scott, whom she married in 2016.
And Kimberley says the secret to her long-lasting relationship is giving each other space and taking some “me time” when you need it.
TAKING TIME OUT
She explains, “Justin and I are really solid – after 15 years you just completely get each other and basically know how to keep each other happy. We give each other freedom and don’t smother each other. We have two kids now, so we make sure we give each other time to go out and see our friends – he’ll have golf days and I’ll go out with my mates, or to the spa. I’m due a spa weekend soon as he’s stacked up a few golf days!”
While Cheryl and Kimberley are raising their children, their former bandmates Nicola Roberts, 31, and Nadine Coyle, 32, are working on music projects. Meanwhile, Sarah Harding, 35, recently appeared on – and won – Celebrity Big Brother and caused a stir with her drunken meltdowns and on-screen romance with fellow contestant Chad Johnson.
REALITY TV
But Kimberley says that, while she didn’t manage to see much of the show, she’s delighted Sarah ended up the champion and wishes her and Chad all the best.
She says, “I didn’t watch much of CBB because the kids are in bed really early so I tend to go to bed early too. But I wish I had now! I’m really happy that she won, I bet she is too. CBB terrifies me – I feel claustrophobic just thinking about it. She was so brave to go in there because it’s a really scary thing – so fair play to her!
“Chad seemed nice. I really wish her well and want her to be happy, so if he’s making her happy then that’s great.”
● Kimberley spoke to Closer at the Everyday Heroes Awards on behalf of St John Ambulance at London Hilton Bankside