‘I'll always support my Katie Price'

X Factor winner Sam Bailey on staying at home, her mental health struggles and her famous friend

- HAMAIZ IQBAL

She shot to fame in the 10th series of The X Factor and went on to win the show, wowing us all with her sensational singing voice. But like many other performers, Sam Bailey’s career has been put on hold since the coronavirus outbreak hit the UK.

When we catch up with her on the phone, the mum-of-three is trying to find ways to keep herself and her kids – Brooke, 15, Tommy, 11, and Miley, five – busy during lockdown.

“We’ve sorted out our garage, we’ve tidied our wardrobes, we’ve cleaned all our cupboards out in the kitchen,” she tells us. “We’re kinda done now.”

As well as becoming a domestic goddess, she has amassed more than 70,000 followers on TikTok, saying, “I do enjoy them, and the funny thing is, the videos that my husband Craig are in, they’re the ones that are getting the most views!”

Sam, 42, tells new she is looking forward to going back to work once lockdown is over, so she can provide for her family.

“I’ve had a big gig cancelled in August, which was supposed to run through to October,” she says. “I’m also booked in to do panto this year, but who knows whether it’s gonna happen or not. I’m hoping things will go back to normal by then.”

Here, Sam talks about life during lockdown, suffering from anxiety, and her friendship with Katie Price…

Hi Sam! How are you dealing with lockdown?

The first couple of weeks it was, “We’re all going on a summer holiday,” and doing what you want to do. It’s more than two months now, but I’m really proud of how the kids are coping.

Have you been homeschooling them?