I stress out like a lot of parents about work life balance so the excuse to spend time as a family has been lovely
THE Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge’s sons have no idea just how famous their mum and dad, Chelsea hero Wayne, are. And that, says Frankie, is just the way she likes it.
Parker, six, and Carter, four, are more interested in their iPads than watching their parents if they pop up on the telly.
Frankie, 31, says: “I’ve asked them, ‘What do Mummy and Daddy do?’ and they just say, ‘Work’. They don’t really have a clue and I think that’s quite nice.
“They know we’re on telly sometimes, but they don’t sit and watch us. I’ll say, ‘Daddy’s on TV today’, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, OK’, and then it’s back to their iPads.”
While acknowledging how difficult this year has been for many people, Frankie has found plenty of positives in lockdown.
She says: “It initially was really scary, the uncertainty and the thought of people being ill was really hard, but being at home has been nice.
“Having the excuse to slow down together and spend time together has been lovely.
“It’s made me realise we all live our lives at such a fast pace. It’s good to take a step back and try things a bit differently.”
As life adjusts to a “new normal” Frankie says she will make some lasting changes after lockdown.
She says: “I stress out a lot like most parents about a work life balance. It made me realise I can possibly do more things from home and it’s taught me not to stress so much. Sometimes it’s nice just to relax and enjoy the kids.”
Before the pandemic forced her to ease up, Frankie took part in a 100-mile challenge in the Namib desert in Namibia for Sport Relief in February, which was also the month her book, Open, about her struggles with depression, came out.
And now she has co-written The Munchy Trunks, the world’s first “eat along book”, with baby food brand Ella’s Kitchen, encouraging little ones to explore a variety of tasty finger foods through fun, sensory play at mealtimes.
Frankie says: “As a mum of two boys, I’ve been through the weaning journey myself, watching them try new foods and getting used to different tastes and textures.
“I hope the characters in the book will help little ones practise grips and grabs to pick things up and eat. My first, Parker, was a bad eater, but Carter was a good eater.
“It was maybe because I was more relaxed. It’s a lot of pressure as a parent trying to get your kids to eat healthily and it doesn’t always work out.
I try to be laid back when it comes to treats, but at the same time I like to keep it balanced. It’s the same for me. If I fancy something I’ll have it, but I also make sure I have plenty of veg.” Frankie had huge success after forming girl band The Saturdays with Una Healy, Vanessa White, Rochelle Humes and Mollie King in 2007. But they have been on a break since 2014, leaving Frankie time for other things, such as writing Open. She says: “Something I’ve learned from doing the book is it’s really nice to work on something from scratch, building it up.
“In bands, record labels make the decisions, so that’s been really cool.”
And the response to the book was overwhelming. She says: “Lockdown was crazy, I was inundated. I received so many thank you notes, and I feel bad I don’t get to reply to everyone. I don’t know whether people felt they needed it more in lockdown or just had the time to sit down and read it.
“It’s been so rewarding for me. It was a big challenge to take on. I’ve never written a book before and I didn’t have a ghost writer. I didn’t know if anyone was going to read it. So it’s nice to hear how it’s helped people. People who don’t even suffer with their mental health have said it’s helped them understand it a bit more.”
This week, Frankie faces a new challenge, organising birthday celebrations for Wayne, who turns 40 on Wednesday.
Frankie says: “I’ve got a few surprises planned. It’s been stressful because of Covid. I would normally have found something ages ago, but I’ve had to hang back to see what the rules are.
“It’s stressful anyway trying to plan someone’s birthday so it has been an interesting one, but hopefully he’ll be happy.”
Wayne’s parents live with the family at their home in Surrey, so Frankie and her husband sneak the occasional date night.
Frankie says: “Before lockdown, we would just go to the cinema or for dinner.
“We’re quite lazy, we don’t really go into London or do anything that posh. We can’t
be bothered getting dressed up.” And, like many other people, she admits spending most of lockdown in her pyjamas.
Frankie says: “I’m pretty useless anyway, when I’m not working I don't tend to wear make-up and I’m an athleisure wearer whether I’m working out or not. I then took it to the next level in lockdown.
“I had my pyjamas I put on when I had just got up and my pyjamas I put on after I had a shower. In my house hold, if you’re not leaving the house you don’t get out of your pyjamas anyway.
“The boys were pretty much in them all the time. It’s nice to wear normal clothes now and put a bit of make-up on, but then
It’s made me realise it’s nice just to relax and enjoy the kids
FRANKIE BRIDGE THE SATURDAYS SINGER
We’re quite lazy... we don’t do anything that posh
FRANKIE BRIDGE ON NIGHTS OUT WITH WAYNE
it’s nice to get home and take it all off.” Exercise is a big help for Frankie’s mental wellbeing and she has found a new love of working out from home. She says: “It’s the biggest thing I’ve discovered in lockdown. I get bored, so I like variety. I’ve been dancing and doing step classes.
“I’ve just bought a hula hoop to give that a go.
“I do half an hour, instead of an hour, now and I’m more consistent. I’ll do it every day. I work out first thing as mentally it makes me feel great and I like to start the day with it.”
As successful as she and Wayne have been in their careers, they have no burning desire for their boys to follow them into pop or football. Frankie, who recently celebrated her sixth wedding anniversary, says: “My two don’t really do after-school activities and are not in a football team, they aren’t really that interested.
“My youngest really likes music and the eldest is going to be learning the drums.
“I’d like the boys to be into sport purely to keep them fit and active and I’d love them to have an interest in music, whether it’s listening to it or playing an instrument.
“But I’m not particularly fussed if they’re good or not.”
■ For more details on The Munchy Trunks book, or to buy it for £2.50, visit ellaskitchen.co.uk. All proceeds from the physical book will be donated to Flavour School, a charity delivering sensory education for nurseries in the UK.