Louise Redknapp and her husband Jamie are spotted out for the first time since it was revealed their 18-year marriage was under strain
LOUISE Redknapp and her husband Jamie have been spotted out for the first time since it was revealed their 18-year marriage was under strain.
The former pop star was pictured heading out to dinner with Jamie in London last night.
Louise, 42, and Jamie, 43, enjoyed a meal at Zuma restaurant and were seen leaving together afterwards.
They were both spotted wearing their weddings rings as they got into their car together and headed home.
The Sun reported exclusively that the couple, who have two young sons, are said to have come “under strain” following her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.
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But a source said: “They’re determined to get through this.”
The couple, wed 18 years, are desperate to avoid the TV show’s infamous “curse” which has put an end to a string of other romances.
A source told The Sun: “They still love each other and are desperate to make it work.”
Louise — a runner-up on last year’s Strictly — has been keen to take advantage of her soaring career prospects after her stint on the BBC1 show.
The 42-year-old former Eternal singer has been following a hectic work schedule which has involved a lot of travel.
A source close to the stars, whose relationship was previously seen as rock solid in showbiz circles, said: “Strictly’s put the marriage under some strain.
“Louise could now have a career in an area that she could not have imagined.
“There are castings, meetings with producers. She is looking to leverage her value and that is hard for them.
“She’s been on the road for seven months and only came home in April.
“She has been in the public eye and has a desire to work in the West End.”
Meanwhile footie pundit Jamie, 43 — a former England star — has also been spending many nights away from the mansion in Oxshott, Surrey, which the couple share with their sons aged 12 and seven.
The source went on: “Part of the issue is this has coincided with the football season and Jamie has been away a lot, three and four nights a week.
“It’s about getting back to normality at the end of the season.
“But Louise knows that time is running out. A new Strictly cast will be announced in August, so she needs to capitalise now before people forget about her — and they have to find a way of adjusting.
“Louise is 42. She has left it late. She’s working hard to find the right opportunity.
“She wants to get back to the kind of career she had when she was a single lady. The boys are growing up, so that’s understandable.
“There’s no one else involved. They don’t want lawyers involved, it would only look like they have something to hide.”
Louise and League Of Their Own star Jamie, who appeared together in a cheesy Thomas Cook ad in 2010, will attend his mum Sandra’s birthday at the weekend as a show of unity.
But behind the scenes their marriage is troubled.
Another friend of the pair said: “No one can believe it. They’ve always appeared to be the happiest couple in showbiz, but the pressure of Strictly Come Dancing has taken its toll.
“It’s been a real shock, but both families are rallying around them and doing their very best to offer support to help ensure they stay together.
“Jamie has spent time away from the house to be with his parents, but he’s back now — and Louise is returning after some work commitments.
“They’re then looking forward to celebrating Jamie’s mum’s birthday as a family.”
Louise is believed to have been supported through the rough patch by fellow Strictly competitor Daisy Lowe.
A pal said: “Louise has rediscovered herself, but it hasn’t been easy on the marriage.”
Meanwhile, Jamie has received advice from his parents.
Louise insisted the Strictly curse would not hit her marriage when she signed up to compete in the show last year.
In one interview she boasted: “After so many years, it’ll take more than Strictly and a sparkly leotard to cause problems!”
In another chat she admitted Jamie — son of veteran football manager Harry Redknapp — had taken a surprising interest in her time on the series.
She said: “When I first started doing the show, I thought, ‘This is so not up Jamie’s street’. But I can’t get rid of him.
“Every Saturday he’s in the front row, he’s in the training room and I wasn’t expecting that. I thought I’d go to work, do my thing.
“He said, ‘I think this is going to be great for you, get back out there, show everyone who you are’.
“It’s really nice to see someone you love extremely proud of you.
“It takes me back to 20 years ago when we first met and I was on stage. All good things come from Strictly!”
Today, The Sun can also reveal that Jamie was left furious and smarting during Louise’s appearance on Strictly.
In one instance, the former midfielder — who played for clubs including Liverpool, Spurs and Southampton — exploded at his Sky co-stars James Corden, Jack Whitehall and Andrew Flintoff after they teased him on League Of Their Own about his wife getting close to the male dancers.
It came after comic Jack quipped: “Jamie, is Louise easily spooked? Because she’s about to see a lot of Russian ghoulies I think.”
A source revealed: “Jamie was absolutely furious at the suggestion.
“It was a very tense situation and everyone had to calm him down. It wasn’t a joke to him.”
But Louise later played down the incident and insisted the couple had accepted the joke in good humour.
She said: “Jamie came home that night after filming and told me all about it. We couldn’t stop laughing.
“The whole concept of that show is to take the mickey out of one another and at the moment, he’s at the forefront!
“Jamie and Jack Whitehall are really good friends in real life so he gives him so much stick — because that’s what their banter is really like.
“I watched it this week and I could see Jamie getting angrier and angrier with the jokes. It was so funny!”
And Jamie was clearly extremely uncomfortable five years ago when a leaked video showed disgraced Sky Sports host Richard Keys encouraging him to get involved in sexist so-called “banter”.
Jamie refused to engage in the jokes and Keys was later sacked.
A spokesman for the Redknapps said last night: “Rumours of separation are completely untrue. Louise and Jamie are looking forward to a nice weekend celebrating.”