Una Healy on keeping the spark alive in her marriage and why she doesn’t want any more children
DESPITE ditching her married name, she's more loved-up than ever
FAZING Una Healy isn’t easy.
Which is fortunate considering her decision to revert back to her maiden name for her new solo career caused quite the social media explosion back in March.
Speculation was rife that her four-year marriage to rugby player husband Ben Foden was on the rocks, while in actual fact everything was just peachy, even if she was no longer Mrs Foden to the outside world.
Today Una shakes her head in disbelief that a five-letter name change could cause so much drama.
“It was to be expected I guess,” she sighs. “I feel like Healy is the name I had when I started the journey of being a singer-songwriter, and I wanted to go back to it again for my music.
“When I was in The Saturdays I felt like [the band name] was my surname. I understand why people
might jump to the conclusion that it’s something to do with our marriage, but it’s definitely nothing to do with that.”
Thankfully, while the Twittersphere was in uproar, Ben, 31, was remarkably relaxed about the whole thing.
“I gave him a heads-up and said I really wanted to go back to Healy for work. He was fine about it and found the speculation funny. I still use Foden for when I’m at home and personal things.
“I’m definitely not the first person to use my maiden name for career reasons, and it feels right.”
Despite being a sleep-deprived mum of two who has been up on baby duties since 5.30am, Una is glowing as she arrives at our shoot – all dewy skin and fizzy energy.
In fact, the former Saturdays star looks nearly a decade younger than her 34 years, without a wrinkle or dark circle in sight.
And no, it’s not thanks to Botox.
“I slept for an hour in the car,” she says victoriously, neck pillow still around her shoulders. “Mouth open and a real state! I try to get to bed before midnight if I can.”
The dawn wake-up was courtesy of her 18-month old son Tadhg (pronounced like “Tiger” without the “r”), who was suffering from swollen gums.
But she’s so blissfully smitten with motherhood that Una – who also has four-year-old daughter Aoife Belle – is not fussed about missing her beauty sleep in the slightest.
“He was still cute this morning. When you just look at him and he starts smiling… The whole family were all still snoozing when I left this morning.”
The Healy-Foden brood are a big fixture on social media, and Una’s Instagram account is crammed full of cute snaps of the foursome enjoying quality time together.
So with Una being this loved-up with family life, it’s hard not to imagine a third baby entering into the bigger picture in the not-too-distant future.
But not according to Una, who is adamant that their household is now complete.
So no more babies then?
“No! No! Absolutely not!” she replies instantly. “No way. If you’d asked me after Aoife I’d be like: ‘Oh you know, I probably would,’ but I’m done now. I really don’t want any more. If I see a baby I’m like: ‘No, definitely not.’
“It’s tough and really hard work. I’m just so happy with two. I don’t want to say if another one came along it would be an accident, as that would be the worst thing in the world [to admit]. It would obviously be a blessing. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. But if I could plan it right now, then no more babies!”
During both of her pregnancies, Una juggled on-stage girl band routines in The Saturdays with
her baby bumps.
It can’t have been easy, but she never complained.
So the self-imposed baby ban has nothing to do with Una gearing up to launch her solo career after signing to Decca Records. She’s more than well-equipped to handle all that life throws at her.
“I’ve kind of forgotten what life was like before having kids!” she laughs. “I’m multitasking all the time, because if I’m going anywhere, doing anything, I have to think of them.
“It’s a juggling act and there’s no method to it. You just have to try your best. Ben’s life is a bit more structured and scheduled than mine. He’s very hands-on with the kids and is brilliant. He plays with them while I do the washing and cooking.
“I think my kids will always remember me for working and for them being a part of it all. Aoife is always telling me to pick up a guitar and play her a song. She’ll then sing and dance around to it.”
Fortunately, help is at hand and Una and Ben often share parenting responsibilities with both sets of grandparents – John and Ann Healy and Rob and Jenny Foden – when possible, as well as organising the occasional babysitter.
Those rare few but oh-so-valuable moments when the couple do manage to find some kid-free hours, are all about keeping that spark alive.
That’s why they jetted off for a romantic break to Sardinia to celebrate their four-year wedding anniversary last month.
“You have to keep it fresh, especially when you have kids. We found it really worked because you need that romance. We had lie-ins together and enjoyed each other’s company and the silence!
“It’s good to not forget that you’re a young couple and not just parents. You need to look after that side of the relationship. We love doing family things together, but we’re finding time for each other a bit more.
“We’ve started to fit in things like going to the cinema and out for dinner together. It’s really romantic.”
The couple are still very much in their honeymoon period after meeting in 2008.
Their first introduction happened in true showbiz style – Ben got his agent to call Una’s record label representatives and arrange a date after telling them he liked “the Irish one” in The Saturdays.
She put him into Google, liked the look of him and the rest is history.
The pair married in June 2012 in a church ceremony in Bansha in County Tipperary, Ireland.
The nuptials, covered by a lucrative mag deal, featured her band mates Rochelle Humes, 27, Frankie Bridge, 27, Mollie King, 29, and Vanessa White, 26, as bridesmaids.
And the gigantic grin on her face and dreamy look in Una’s eye when discussing her anniversary break suggests she seriously enjoyed their alone time.
So how have they stayed so happy?
“We’re best friends as we go through everything together. He grounds me so much,” she reveals. “He was really romantic for our anniversary. I looked up what to give him and it said linen, so I went to Next and bought him a linen shirt and shorts.
“But Ben found out it was four things – linen, fruit, silk and flowers. So he got me a silk Burberry scarf,
bedlinen, a big fruit basket and gorgeous flowers.
“I think we’ve become extra romantic in the last six months. We’re growing up, but not growing old. We’re growing together. It’s nice to make an effort.”
While quality time may be on ration, what definitely isn’t missing in their lives is the fact that they still fancy each other like crazy.
Take for instance their recent trip to Sardinia, where it was more than just the sunny climate that sent temperatures soaring.
Una posted pictures on social media of Ben showing off his buff bod, complete with soppy dedications.
And who can blame her when he looks like that topless?
“He wouldn’t want any of those pictures on there, but I put them up because I want everyone to see him. They can look, but they can’t touch!”
It seems Ben is very much of the same mindset, uploading his own photo of Una showing off her amazing post-baby bod in a bikini, which he suitably added in the caption: “Bond girl”.
“The picture was all about knowing good ways of stretching and leaning!” she insists. “It will be nice to look back when I’m a bit older and go: ‘I was young once and could wear a bikini in public.’
“I’m happy with my body, but I’d like to be more gym fit. I’d also like to swim a mile a day, as apparently it’s the best form of exercise.”
After having two babies, Una is proud of the journey her size-8 body has been through.
Just six weeks after giving birth to Tadhg she was back to work with a high-profile gig as a judge on The Voice of Ireland, meaning she spent an intense few weeks at the gym working on her squats.
But like most mums, there’s still one area in particular that she’s not happy with.
“The tummy. To tone it is the hardest and longest thing because the skin is looser. I should do some belly dancing!” she says. “I didn’t gain an awful lot of weight when pregnant, probably about 11/2st so nothing else really changed.
“To begin with I bought bigger jeans and didn’t try and starve myself to squeeze into smaller sizes. My priority was breastfeeding, which I did for the first couple of months, so I ate healthily and avoided junk food.”
She and Ben live a relatively unshowbiz life in their house in the Northamptonshire countryside.
Whereas once they were red-carpet regulars, they now opt for low-key barbecues with their neighbours.
Una has remained firm friends with her former band mates, who went on hiatus in 2015 after racking
up 16 Top 20 hit singles.
“Everyone’s so busy, but we do keep in touch all the time. We’re actually going to meet up soon. It’s just hard because we all live so far away from each other now.
“We have a Saturdays’ WhatsApp group, which makes me laugh all of the time.
“We’re all finding our feet [with our solo careers]. They were the first to hear my music and were all
really excited about it.”
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There are times when the couple do mix in A-list circles – they’re pals with Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall through rugby and were guests at the royal couple’s wedding in 2011.
“We see them quite a bit. They’re so down-to-earth and you don’t even think of the fact that Zara’s grandmother is the Queen!
“I think Zara is amazing and she’s great fun as well. She actually loves the TV show Nashville and I sneakily gave her some gossip that I would be duetting with one of the actors. Zara said that she’s going to come
to one of my shows.”
The duet partner in question is Sam Palladio – better known as aspiring musician Gunnar Scott in the show – for Una’s debut solo single Say My Love.
It marks a change in direction for Una.
She’s turned her back on the big pop tunes and opted for a chilled country vibe instead.
“It’s like I’ve come full circle, as being a singer-songwriter is what I originally set out to do.
“My uncle is Declan Nerney, who is a country music star in Ireland, and he really influenced me. I grew up around that type of music.”
Unsurprisingly, many of the self-penned tracks have been inspired by events very close to home.
“A lot of my music is about Ben and the kids. The songs tell stories so they are relatable to everybody.
“I wrote one called Staring At The Moon with my children in mind. It is about being away from your loved ones, but you get comfort from looking at the moon. You know they can look back at the same moon, no matter where you are in the world.”
And with that, the neck pillow returns to Una’s shoulders as she prepares to bed down in her car.
The make-up has been wiped off and the hair extensions removed.
It’s only takes a few minutes, but soon the transition from pop star to mum is complete.
At least Una can relax knowing she temporarily has one less life plate to spin.
Stay My Love ft Sam Palladio is out soon via Decca Records.