Strictly Camilla: I want to adopt
Although the pair denied it, devastated Camilla split from Brendan, who had also been her dance partner.
She overcame her heartache and, four years later, in 2008, won the show with actor Tom Chambers, 39.
She is still reluctant to discuss B Brendan,d bt but says: “Everything“E thi I’veI’ beenb through, I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t gone through that.
“When I decided to leave I couldn’t deny those negative feelings any longer. I needed to figure out how I’d be happy again.”
In fact, that happiness was just around the corner. Actress Lesley Joseph set her up with Kevin in 2008. All three were on BBC2’s The Underdog Show.
Birds of a Feather star Lesley, 71, decided Camilla and Kevin, 38, who played Hollyoaks ladies’ man Jake Dean, would be perfect together – and she was right.
Camilla said: “She decided Kevin and I needed to date and that was that. Every day she would say to us ‘you been on a date yet?’ It was so funny but it worked.”
After quitting Strictly, she appeared in I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2009. Two years later she starred opposite Kevin in the stage production of Calendar Girls.
Last year, Camilla and Kevin cheered on Lesley as she danced on Strictly. Camilla said: “She’s absolutely incredible and we were so proud watching her on Strictly last year. We owe a lot to her.”
The couple, who wed in Ibiza in 2010, are now loving life in the States. She said she and Kevin – her “partner in crime” – enjoy long hikes in the Hollywood Hills, yoga sessions and meditation. Camilla, who was used to living out of a suitcase, said: “Moving over here, I now feel like I kno know who I am. “I’m theth happiest I’ve ever been been. I love my job and I lovelov the community. “Kevin“is incredible. We have both forged ourou own separate paths andan I feel very settled now.no We left having kids to the universe and it hasn’t happened.h But it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I felt ready. I’d really love to adopt or foster. I’ve never, ever felt a need to have my own.
“I literally cried my eyes out the other day when I heard about a man who adopted four children he had fostered. That was so inspirational.”
She added: “I came here to get balance because for 20 years of my life I didn’t know what that meant. ant. It was all about competing and gettinging results.
“It’s taken all of thathat to teach me how to be happy.y.
“Now I use everything rything that I felt to help other people feel strong.”
Camilla leads classes ses at trendy venue Unplug nplug Meditation near Santa nta Monica i n LA. Inspirational quotes such as “This way to happiness” adorn the walls. So now she is so happy, would she ever return to Strictly? She said: “I’d love to go back but only as a judge. When I left, that was always my dream. I always said if there was an opportunity I would do it. “There hasn’t been two women yet but there could be now.” In 2015, CamillaCa was a judge with Craig Revel Horwood and Tom Chambers on the Strictly Come Dancing Live UK tour.to