Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton says she was overworked during her time in the band

Natasha Hamilton has claimed she was ‘worked to the bone’ during her time in Atomic Kitten.

The singer, 41, shot to fame alongside Kerry Katona and Liz McClarnon in 1999 as part of the group founded by OMD members Andy McCluskey and Stuart Kershaw.

They achieved a run of hit singles, including Whole Again, but now she has claimed that ‘exhaustion’ was the reason  they and so many of their peers disbanded and by the end, she had to have a doctor intervene.

She told The Mirror: ‘The hardest thing about Atomic Kitten? We were worked to the bone, there was nothing of us left to give. That’s why so many bands disbanded – the pressure was intense. 

‘By the end, I had a doctor say, ‘She needs 12 months off, she’s mentally and physically exhausted. She has postnatal depression, she needs time to heal’.

Natasha Hamilton was ‘worked to the bone’ during her time in Atomic Kitten but claimed that ‘no one cared’ about mental health in those days 

Natasha Hamilton (left) found fame in Atomic Kitten alongside Kerry Katona and Liz McClarnon in 1999

But Natasha claimed that she had to perform or face legal action as she admitted that ‘no one cared’ about mental health in those days.  

She said: ‘The response I got was, ‘She needs to do this gig or she’ll be sued’. Mental health was not a priority 20 years ago. No one cared.’ 

 Natasha insisted that she ‘wouldn’t relive those traumatic years’ but has had an ‘amazing life anyway and is happy where she is at now.

Kerry left Atomic Kitten in 2001 and was replaced by Jenny Frost, until they disbanded in 2006 but the original lineup returned as part of ITV2’s The Big Reunion in 2012.

Kerry then left again and Jenny rejoined her bandmates in 2021 to release a reworked version of their signature track in support of England at the UEFA Euro 2020.

The Liverpool-born star – who is married to Charles Gay and has five children from various relationships – has carved out a career in musical theatre and on television outside of the band. 

But she has now released her debut solo single Edge of Us after a few ‘failed attempts’ but admitted she ‘never gave up’ on her dream and was looking forward to doing something new after tapping into the ‘nostalgia’ market for so long. 

The singer, 41, joined the girl group with Kerry  and Liz  in 1999 before the band split in 2003 following three number-one singles (L-R Liz, Kerry, and Natasha performing in 2013)

In 2021, Natasha, Liz and Jenny  reunited for the first time in 15 years to record a special version of Whole Again for Euro 2020 

Natasha has now released her debut solo single Edge Of Us after refusing to ‘give up on her dream’

It comes after last year the singer took to Instagram to reveal she had given birth to her fifth child, Kitty Iris, with her husband Charles Gay

Last year, following the birth of her baby girl, Natasha took to Instagram to share with her followers some snaps of baby daughter Kitty and revealed the birth ‘caught her by surprise’ as she arrived earlier than expected.

She shared: ‘You came into the world over 3 weeks early giving mummy quite the surprise when daddy was working in London! But you held on in there until he got home and from the second we laid eyes on you, we’ve been totally besotted with you.’

‘The first few weeks brought us some challenges and quite a few sleepless nights but you’re our little warrior and we are so happy that you are now thriving and growing and pooping like a little trouper!’  

Natasha has sons Josh, Harry, and Alfie, and an eight-year-old daughter Ella Rose from a previous relationship. 

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