Sam Bailey on how she gets her kids to eat their broccoli
We’ve been huge fans of Sam ever since she won The X Factor in 2013. Since then she’s supported Beyoncé, released an album, had another baby – and even got Sharon Osbourne to be her godmother! How does she juggle success with raising a family of three? We caught up with the singer to find out…
You’ve just released a new single, Bleed Red. Tell us all about it…
‘Bleed Red was written by the late Andrew Dorff, the son of Steve Dorff who wrote four tracks on my last album. The words to me are fitting for the world we live in today. I love the lyrics and I actually cried at the end of the song – and you can hear it on the track.’
How much do you think your singing has changed since you first went on The X-Factor?
‘I think my style has improved and changed. I have always said that I would love to go back and re-do all of my X-Factor performances, as I would love to fix the mistakes!’
How much has your life changed since you first appeared on our screens?
‘My life has changed a lot but I haven’t as a person – I’m still me! I have a wonderful husband and we work as a team. I think you have to in my situation or it would never work!’
Do you do the school runs and pick ups – or do you have help?
‘Yes when I’m home I have to! I get ordered by Miley to do exactly that!’
Talk us through a typical day when you’re not at work…
‘I’m up at 7am, doing packed lunches and making the kids breakfast, before we are out the door at 8.30am. I have a personal trainer, Dan Morris, who I go to see for an hour, then it’s back home either cleaning, washing or tidying bedrooms. At 3pm we pick the kids up, it’s dinner at 4pm, followed by homework, then it’s pretty much chill time until the kids go to bed!’
Please tell us you have kids that have the same tantrums as the rest of us, like refusing to eat their broccoli and pretending they’ve brushed their teeth…
‘Miley, who is nearly four, does all of the above! I use diversion techniques or I eat with her and we make it a game! It’s sometimes very exhausting – but it works so I’m happy!’
What about too much screen time? Do you have any limits when it comes to games consoles and iPads?
‘I try to! My son is a gamer so it’s hard, as he doesn’t want to do anything else, but we like to get the kids out as much as we can. We love taking them to play in the stream at Bradgate Park or making dens in Swithland woods.’
You were recently in the press having knocked yourself out after an unfortunate incident with a ladder. Tell us what happened…
‘My daughter was going skiing with the school so I needed to get a suitcase down from the loft. When I got it down I pushed the ladders back up and opened the case to find stuff in it, and the ladders unfolded and hit me on the head. They knocked me clean out, I was out on and off for around an hour! I’m fine now – no permanent damage thankfully! I had a huge headache for a couple of weeks and felt really tired though, as the doctors said I had concussion.’
You’ve also got a summer collection out with Yours clothing. Why was it important for you to be involved with the brand?
‘Because I am happy in my skin and I think that Yours really champions that image of body confidence. I’m finally happy with my shape – I need to eat better for health reasons but apart from that I like who I am.’
What about your husband – what does he think of your figure?
‘Size eight or 18 he will always see me as me, and I love that about him!’
You’ve been married for an impressive 15 years – what’s the secret?
‘Teamwork and banter! We have lots in our house!’
Who wears the trousers?
‘I buy the trousers – and let him wear them!’
Finally, please tell us one secret you’ve never revealed to your fans – until now…
My biggest dream is to duet with Phil Collins on a song called Separate Lives.
Sam Bailey’s new single, Bleed Red, is out now on all download sites
