Melanie Blatt has candidly revealed that a lifetime spent building her self-esteem was devastatingly undone in just over two hours after she agreed to participate in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. The All Saints singer, paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, was among six celebrities featured in last year's festive edition, which is pre-recorded and broadcast annually by the BBC on Christmas Day.
A Chastening Experience on the Dance Floor
Blatt described the special, ultimately won by presenter Scarlett Moffatt and her partner Vito Coppola, as a deeply humbling ordeal that crushed her confidence and left her emotionally exposed. In an interview with the April issue of Good Housekeeping UK, the 50-year-old expressed feeling extremely vulnerable during the experience.
'It took me five decades to reach a point where I felt genuinely good about myself, and Strictly managed to strip that away in no time,' Blatt confessed. 'There was nothing untoward happening—I believe everyone was on their best behaviour—but I simply did not feel comfortable wearing a dress.'
From Pop Stardom to Personal Struggles
The singer was approached by Strictly producers merely three years after All Saints, the notoriously turbulent girl group she co-founded in 1993, disbanded for the third and final time. Alongside close friends Shaznay Lewis and sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton, Blatt rose to fame with hits like 'I Know Where It's At' in 1997, followed by chart-toppers such as 'Never Ever', 'Under The Bridge', and 'Pure Shores'.
Despite this commercial success, Blatt admitted to feeling embarrassed by the band's mainstream direction, having been inspired by credible hip hop and R&B artists. 'I aspired to collaborate with Timbaland and Missy Elliott,' she recalled. 'If it were up to me, I would have emulated their style entirely. I even resisted releasing 'Pure Shores'—I was constantly upset and making a fuss—and I was mistaken, as it became our biggest song. While I'm now more at ease with All Saints' music, I spent many years ashamed of being in a pop band.'
Personal Challenges and Band Dynamics
Internal pressures intensified when Blatt and bandmate Nicole Appleton discovered they were both pregnant. 'Nic and I took pregnancy tests together in a Canadian hotel room,' Blatt shared. 'It was an incredible night, but then the news leaked and spread rapidly. There were discussions about how we might ruin the band, and we felt we were letting the other members down.'
Blatt welcomed her daughter Lilyella, now 27, with former partner Stuart Zender, bassist for Jamiroquai, in November 1998. 'I had only been dating Lily's father for a few months, and the pregnancy was unplanned, but I knew having the baby was the right decision for me,' she said. 'Nic chose to have an abortion, but we lacked the communication skills to discuss it properly. To this day, I don't think we've ever spoken about it.'
The Turbulent Journey of All Saints
The group initially disbanded in 2001 but reunited five years later after signing with Parlophone, leading to the release of their third album, 'Studio 1'. However, this reunion was short-lived, with a second split in 2008 and another comeback in 2013, resulting in the album 'Red Flag' in 2016 before parting ways again.
'Our relationship was always fraught with difficulty,' Blatt explained. 'Having two sisters in the mix complicated things. Nic and I were best friends at age 11, then Shaz and I became close—we could never quite get the dynamics right.'
A final reformation in 2017 culminated in the fifth album 'Testament' and a national tour, before an indefinite hiatus was announced in 2022. 'It's truly a shame; if we had managed things better, we could have enjoyed great success,' Blatt reflected. 'At least we were authentic—we never pretended everything was fine, and we certainly didn't stay in the band for financial reasons.'
Looking Ahead: A Quest for Happiness
Now seeking to establish herself beyond the music industry, Blatt's primary goal is the pursuit of happiness after years of turmoil with All Saints. 'My dream is to create a cookery book or host my own cooking show,' she revealed. 'Something like 'Cheeses of the World,' where I travel to Africa and Asia to explore cheese with locals. I'm putting this out into the universe because I am determined to make it happen.'
'My motivation in life is simply to be happy. I've reached 50 and made numerous mistakes, but what I desire most is peace and contentment.'
The full interview is available in the April issue of Good Housekeeping UK, on sale from February 26th.
