We ask if Louise Redknapp really was ‘trapped’ in a 20-year marriage to Jamie as a ‘Stepford Wife’ — despite juggling numerous jobs as a model, singer and TV judge
LOUISE REDKNAPP says her 20- year marriage to soccer ace Jamie collapsed after she was reduced to a “Stepford Wife”.
The ex singer with girlband Eternal — who gave up her pop career to be a mum to Charley, 13, and Beau, eight — told a magazine how she got trapped in an endless cycle of “looking after the house and my family”, just like the robot wives in the 1975 sci-fi film.
But the reality is somewhat different — with Louise, 42, balancing home life with TV jobs, ad campaigns and modelling.
Here, we look at just some of her many projects over the years leading up to her split from TV pundit Jamie, 44, earlier this year.
Lingerie model
DESPITE her claims to have “lost herself” in motherhood and domesticity, Louise was unveiled as the face of Triumph lingerie in 2007 and continued to front the brand’s promotional campaigns until 2010.
She may have forgotten her status as a former FHM magazine sex symbol but her long-standing relationship with the lingerie brand made sure no one else did.
Fronting adverts
LOUISE has advertised every-thing from Pandora jewellery to Colgate toothpaste and Listerine mouthwash, plus Dr Organic Snail Gel skincare, Sainsbury’s clobber, Wilkinson Sword, Nintendo Wii, American Express, the Argos Toy Exchange charity campaign, Gallo wine and Mecca bingo.
In 2010 the Redknapps faced criticism for a cringeworthy TV ad for Thomas Cook holidays which saw them on a South African beach – for which they were said to have been paid £500,000.
Make-up brand
IN 2012 Louise teamed up with pal Kim Jacobs to launch make-up business Wild About Beauty.
She said at the time: “For me, it was important to keep working and using my brain and growing as a person. I’m not stupid. I like to earn my own money, be self- sufficient and stand on my own two feet.”
The pair travelled the country promoting their natural-looking products, whose celebrity fans include Princess Beatrice.
At last year’s Glastonbury and Wilderness festivals they ran a pop-up shop offering makeovers, allowing Louise to escape domestic “reality” for a few weekends while Jamie took charge at home.
TV judge
IN 2010 Louise joined the judging panel on BBC1 talent contest So You Think You Can Dance. The show, based on an American programme of the same name, saw contestants compete for the title Britain’s Favourite Dancer and the chance to win a £100,000 prize.
In her judging role, Louise had to film weeks of auditions, followed by a choreography camp, then the live shows.
Undeterred by the gruelling schedule and the time spent away from her family, she returned the following year for the programme’s second series.
However, it was later announced that the show was to be dropped after the audience ratings failed to impress.
What is a Stepford Wife?
THE term comes from 1972 novel The Stepford Wives, by US writer Ira Levin, about a community in which the beautiful, zombie-like housewives are robotically subservient to their husbands.
Two film versions were made, in 1975 and 2004, the latter starring Nicole Kidman as the rebellious heroine.
Documentary maker
FOR the controversial 2007 ITV documentary The Truth About Size Zero, Louise slimmed from a size eight to a US zero – a UK size 4 – in just 30 days to raise awareness of the risks of extreme dieting.
She said afterwards: “I could have the biggest event coming up, and want to look amazing, but whatever the outcome of that it wouldn’t have been worth what I feel I’ve put myself through, as well as my son and my husband and mum and dad.
“I’m a get-on-with-it girl, and I haven’t been these past couple of weeks, I’ve been a real sensitive cry-baby.”
The following year, when pregnant with second son Beau, she made a follow-up – The Truth About Super Skinny Pregnancies.
Movie career
LOUISE was cast opposite Ray Winstone as his wife Irene in 2011 film The Hot Potato. The Sixties-set romp was based on the true story of a couple of East End chancers who come by a valuable lump of uranium.
First-time actress Louise was at the centre of the action as sultry Irene, who was seen seducing Ray’s character, gruff Londoner Kenny, and leading him upstairs. Louise, who later admitted the romantic scenes were “slightly scary”, said: “A few things have come up since then but when you read the script or you go to the casting you can’t imagine yourself doing that kind of a film or role.
“But if something came up and I thought, ‘Right, I could execute this and do it well ,’ then I would love to do it.”
TV presenter
LOUISE may have left her pop career behind her but she spent plenty of time on screen after becoming a mum.
In 2006 she joined BBC1’s The Clothes Show, fronting the programme for three series.
In 2009 she fronted bizarre matchmaking show The Farmer Wants A Wife for Channel 5.
And in 2010 she replaced Amanda Hamilton as presenter of BBC Sunday cookery and chat show Something For The Weekend.