Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton returned to her Merseyside roots to switch on Liscard’s Christmas lights, opening up about her Hashimoto’s disease diagnosis, new music plans and life as a mum-of-five
Natasha says three words in response to reuniting with Atomic Kitten
Natasha Hamilton has shared a huge insight into the future of Atomic Kitten. At 42, Natasha, mother-of-five and singer, is embracing a full-circle moment as she returns to her roots to help lift her hometown’s spirits during what locals have called their “worst Christmas ever.” Once the teenage girl belting out songs in Liscard pubs at just 13, Natasha is now the woman lighting up the district — quite literally — by climbing to the top of a 30ft Norwegian Pine to switch on the lights for a community so close to where she grew up. “Liscard has such a special place in my heart,” she said.
“It wasn’t just about turning on a tree,” she tells us with that familiar mix of Northern warmth and honesty. “It was about giving the community their Christmas back.” And it’s a community that needs the boost. With Asda research showing 73% of Brits feeling the “Grinch Pinch”, Liscard’s festive celebrations have been scaled back in recent years – even becoming known online for having “the worst Christmas tree in Britain.”
But this year, after the community reached out asking for help, Asda stepped in. What followed was a joyful transformation, with Natasha leading the comeback in true headline-making fashion.
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Natasha reunited on her time in a girl group recently on a documentary
“I can’t lie, being lifted up 30ft in the air on a cherry picker while the wind was blowing was terrifying!” she laughs. “My daughter was shouting, ‘Mummy, come down!’ But the moment the lights went on, and I saw everyone cheering… it was incredible. It felt like hope.”
The night was more than a festive switch-on; it was a reunion between Natasha and the town that shaped her. Born and raised in Liverpool, she spent her early teens performing across the Wirral before shooting to international fame as part of Atomic Kitten. The trio, known for smash hits like Whole Again and The Tide Is High, sold millions, toured the world and became a defining girl band of the 2000s.
“We were just kids,” she reflects. “But Liverpool and the Wirral championed us from day one. I still feel that love — I can’t go into Liverpool without someone shouting my name!” and whether the Atomic Kitten clan will be reuniting, Natasha says: “Never say never, at this moment there are no plans, but I am still very close to Jenny, and Liz and you never know what could happen.”
Natasha helped bring festive cheer to the town of Liscard
It’s that nostalgia and sisterhood that Natasha dives into in her latest project, Girlbands Forever, the tell-all TV documentary revisiting the highs and lows of girl group life. “It was a 44-hour interview condensed into a few minutes,” she says. “It was exhausting but really cathartic. I remembered things I hadn’t thought about in years. And what struck me most was how many of us, in different bands, were going through the same pressures — but we were always being pitted against each other. It made me really appreciative of what we actually achieved, and very proud to have represented the North West in such a pivotal way in pop music.”
She lights up when she talks about the friendships that came later. “Doing The Big Reunion in 2013 was like therapy for all of us. We finally got to know each other as real people, not just band members. It felt like family.” But after topping the charts for three decades, what is Natasha most proud of? While there are too many achievements, she explained: “My career highlight would be playing the lead role of Mrs Johnstone at the West End, and at the time I was the youngest female actress to play the role. The feeling of sheer relief at the end of the show is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”
Family is central to everything Natasha does — and with children aged 2, 11, 13, 19 and 21, her household is a bustling whirlwind of routines, school plays, teenage milestones and toddler magic. This Christmas is the first her youngest daughter will truly understand, and Natasha beams with pride as she talks about taking her to see Santa. “She absolutely loved it. It was magical.”
Her other children are just as busy. “Alfie performed in Grease last week, and Ella had a solo in her Christmas show… they love it! And my eldest son, Josh, came home from Australia last Christmas — that was the best gift ever.” But how does Natasha get herself ready for Christmas? She explained: “We do the reindeer food leaving carrots and sprinkle rainbow glitter on the doorstep to show he’s been, leave milk and cookies for Santa every year. Christmas Day is always about having festive family fun, it gets quite competitive at times with the games, and then karaoke comes out at the end of the day.”
Motherhood, however, has taught Natasha the importance of balance. Diagnosed last year with Hashimoto’s disease, she’s learned to slow down. “It makes you realise you’re not invincible. Some days need to be soft days. I’ve not had a drink for eight weeks — I’m just filling my own cup.”
Natasha is ready to bring new music out in 2026
Natasha is ready for a big family Christmas
Despite her full home life, Natasha’s creative drive shows no sign of slowing. After decades in the industry, she’s now building something of her own: an independent record label, Morpho Records. “I want to support the next wave of UK pop artists,” she tells us proudly. Her first signing, Kai Bosh, is already gearing up for a huge 2026. And Natasha isn’t stopping there — she’s releasing brand-new music herself, with an EP and lead single arriving in January.
“I’m really ready for next year,” she says with a bright smile. “It’s going to be incredible.” But before another whirlwind of releases, filming and school runs kicks in, the Hamilton household will be doing Christmas in the way they know best — loud, joyful and full of love.
“It’s karaoke, dancing around the kitchen table, silly games, disco lights… and wrapping the living room door so the kids have to burst through it in the morning,” she laughs. “Complete chaos — but the best chaos.”
For a woman who’s spent more than 25 years in the public eye, Natasha still feels misunderstood at times. “People think I’m tough. I’ve had to be. But underneath I’m so soft — I cry at everything.”
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