Rachel Stevens has opened up about her “painful” and “sad” marriage breakup with Alex Bourne for the first time in a candid new interview.
The S Club 7 star, 44, split from his childhood sweetheart, 45, last summer after 12 years together. The couple have two daughters together: Amelie, 12, and Minnie, eight.
Rachel has now opened up about how the former couple are navigating parenthood separately after moving out of their family home – as she insists she’s not ready to start dating again just yet.
She told The Sun of the split: “It’s very difficult to articulate the feelings because there are so many. It was really painful, really sad. It was the biggest decision we had to make in our lives, with our kids of course.
“Our split is very amicable and that really helps. We haven’t lived together for two weeks. That was definitely difficult. We do it with love and respect, but it’s a process.
Honest: Rachel Stevens has for the first time reflected on her ‘painful’ and ‘sad’ marriage breakup with Alex Bourne in a candid new interview
“It took a lot of navigating. We’ll screw up and make mistakes. But we admit it to them and I feel so lucky.”
She added that she’s grateful that she has therapy to help her cope with the breakup and that it’s good to be heard and understood by her therapist.
Rachel went on to share how she and the girls moved from their north London home to a new place that was “scary” but “mostly good”.
Speaking about dating again, she added that she’s had a few offers to date new men, but that she’s “not ready yet.”
She explained that she has “enough to do” at the moment, but added that she “loves love” and that she deserves it going forward.
Rachel and Alex announced their shock split early last July after tying the knot in 2009.
The singer shared the sad news with her fans via social media, writing, “I just wanted to let you all know that after some time and consideration, the difficult decision has been made for Alex and I to separate.
“Although we are no longer spouses, we will remain partners in parenting for our beautiful girls and will carry on with love and respect for one another.
Tough: The S Club 7 star, 44, split from her childhood sweetheart, 45, after 12 years together last summer (pictured in 2012)
Family: Rachel and Alex are parents to daughters Amelie, 12, and Minnie, eight (both pictured above)
Change: Last July, Rachel took to her Instagram Stories to update her fans on the sad news of their split
“I am so incredibly grateful for the life we have built together and will now remain focused on moving forward together as a family.”
Rachel and Alex, who loved children, married at Claridge’s in London in 2009.
The couple walked down the aisle to S Club 7’s hit “Never Had A Dream Come True” and their bandmates – Bradley McIntosh, Hannah Spearritt, Jo O’Meara, Jon Lee, Paul Cattermole and Tina Barrett – were there to see as they said: ‘I want’.
Rachel and Alex share two children, Amelie, 12, and Minnie, eight.
Rachel recently spoke about seeing her childhood sweetheart Alex again.
The former pop star opened up about her defining life moments as she recalled repeatedly “accidentally” bumping into her former boyfriend.
Rachel described on Roxie Nafousi’s The Moments That Made Me podcast how it was “like they were withdrawn to each other.”
She said: “We were children’s favourites. We dated when we were 12, we met at the youth club and I was obsessed with him!
“We dated about four weeks, and when you’re that age, that was a really long time!”
The blonde beauty explained how the couple grew up in the same social groups in north London.
She went on to detail their love story: “We started dating again when we were about 16 and then again when we were 18 and then we parted ways, you know, obviously I went off and did my thing done, he went off and did his thing.
“Years and years later I happened to be in Selfridges and he walked in and we bumped into it.
“We were both in our late 20s and oddly enough when he walked in he said I know I’ll see you, he knew he’d see me…”
Earlier this month she announced that she has moved out of the family home she shared with husband Alex six months after their split.
The star said she’s feeling a “mixture of emotions” as she settles into her new home.
Rachel shared a stunning selfie and thanked her friends and followers for their support during this time of change.
She wrote: “Hey everyone. I hope you are doing really well. what a week it was… sorry i was MIA. I just moved home today and I’m up to my ears in boxes and feeling such a mix of emotions.
Breakup: She told The Sun of the breakup: “It’s very hard to articulate the feelings because there are so many. It was really painful, really sad’ (pictured 2017)
Change: Earlier this month, she announced that she’s moved out of the family home she shared with husband Alex, six months after their split
“I’m so incredibly grateful for the love and support I have around me. Trust in the process and the magic of the new beginning.”
Rachel’s former S Club bandmate Jo O’Meara commented on the post with a series of love hearts.
Another user wrote, “Sending all the love to you and your girls in your new home,” and a third added, “Congratulations on your new home Rachel ❤️
“New beginnings always feel a bit strange at first, but in a weird way it works by itself to be right ✨ Put on the tunes as you unbox! It always helps xxxx’.