Former Sugababe Heidi Range admits though she’s a person who gets ‘afraid’ she has burst the mummy bubble and got back out there performing again – and she’s never felt better
17:27, 25 Jan 2026Updated 22:20, 25 Jan 2026
Heidi was originally a member of Atomic Kitten(Image: Instagram)
Pop princess Heidi Range is looking like a million dollars. The 42-year-old, who shares daughters Aurelia, eight, and Athena, four, with her husband, property developer Alex Partakis, was a member of iconic pop group Sugababes through the 2000s.
The bubbly Liverpudlian, who replaced original member Siobhán Donaghy, was part of the line-up when the girls racked up a whopping six UK number-one singles as well as two number-one studio albums.
She may have waved goodbye to the iconic girlband since, but Heidi’s remained a telly favourite, taking part in reality shows such as Dancing On Ice and Celebrity MasterChef, as well as taking on roles in theatre shows Happy Days and The War of the Worlds.
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The Sugababes racked up a host of Number 1s during the 2000s(Image: Getty Images)
When we catch up with the star at London’s Royal Albert Hall, attending the premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s new show Ovo – about a charming ladybug who captures the heart of a quirky new insect in a vibrant neighbourhood – she tells new life has been pretty hectic.
“We’ve finally come down from Christmas – it was a total whirlwind!”, the star laughs. “Then it was straight into my eldest, Aurelia’s birthday, so I was in full prep mode. I can’t believe we have an eight-year-old in the house – it’s so scary how fast they grow.”
It’s a new year, and Heidi, who’s been candid about her battles with her mental health in the early days of the band, says she has one goal that she’s desperate to keep.
“My resolution is to worry less, I’m a big worrier! Honestly, my husband was skiing for four days recently, and I worried myself sick the whole time he was away. I’m trying to chill out a bit, but it’s… just who I am, I’m afraid.”
Just before Christmas, Heidi marked a bit of a milestone, as she reveals she performed onstage for the first time in “quite a while”, having taken a break from showbiz when she had her daughters. But 2026, it seems, is her year of saying “yes”. “When I had my girls, I completely stepped back – I was in full ‘mummy zone,’” she explains.
Heidi Range says her daughters are ‘her world’ but admits she’d missed singing(Image: heidirange/Instagram)
“My youngest started school in September, and I’ve done a few concerts singing since then. I’ve really enjoyed it, and this year I want to say yes to more opportunities.” She adds, “Motherhood makes it tricky to get back into your old life because you lose a bit of your identity. For me, my days were consumed by the kids and their needs.
“You know, I didn’t even realise I missed singing until I started rehearsing again. Performing made a little part of me come alive again – it sounds cheesy, but it’s true.” Asked if she’d ever consider a full-blown return to pop music, perhaps even release her own music, Heidi is unsure – but tells us she’s definitely got the performing bug back.
“I don’t really think I’d be into releasing music right now, but I definitely want to perform more. The concerts I’ve done were for NSPCC and Childline – I’m one of their campaigners, so it felt amazing to perform for a good cause and enjoy it again.” And does she keep in touch with anyone from her pop days?
“Not really, just the odd Instagram message. Within our band, yes, but mostly no. Events like this, though, you always bump into someone you know!” Heidi appeared in the powerful three-part BBC documentary, Girlbands Forever last November, which unearthed some funny, juicy and also heartbreaking tales from the biggest turn-of-the-millennium girlbands.
The star is happily married to property developer Alex Patiakis (Image: Getty Images for Audi)
Speaking openly about the realities behind the glamour, Heidi tells us she loved sharing the highs and lows of being in one of Britain’s most successful girl groups. “Yeah, I really enjoyed it,” she says. “They approached me to get involved, and the first thing I did was watch the boyband episode they’d done – it was so… tasteful. And this documentary felt like a celebration of girlbands. I loved that.”
Post pop, of course, Heidi got her fair share of reality TV experience, with 2012’s Dancing On Ice stint – but she has yet to do Strictly Come Dancing. Would she be up for getting her fake tan and sparkles on, one day, if she were asked? “Absolutely, yes! That’s on my wish list. I love Strictly. I cry every year, even at the opening credits. I’d love to learn to dance like that and watch the pros. I’d desperately love to do it.”
The other BBC juggernaut, The Traitors, isn’t one she’s caught up on, she confesses – as life’s just been way too crazy, lately. “I caught a few episodes of the celebrity series, but December was so mental I barely watched TV, apart from the odd Christmas movie.
“I’ve just started The Night Manager – we’re on series one – and yes, I love Tom Hiddleston!” Before we part ways, new comments on how glowing and ageless Heidi is looking. “Make-up and Botox help a lot, you know!” she laughs.
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