Frankie Bridge heartbreakingly felt 'embarrassed' to step on stage during first pregnancy

Frankie Bridge heartbreakingly reflected on the depression she battled during her first pregnancy on Friday's Loose Women.

The Saturdays hitmaker, 32, has always been open on her mental health struggles and bravely shared how her depression was at its worst when she was performing alongside her bandmates with her growing bump.

The mother of two explained how she continued taking antidepressants during her pregnancy under medical supervision and that she found it extremely hard to deal with her changing figure after gaining four stone throughout her pregnancy after years of watching her weight.

Frankie, who had her first son at the age of 24, told her fellow panellists: "For me everyone was aware that I could have post-natal depression but my depression was worse during my pregnancy.

"I found coming from someone who really restricted my eating and really controlled my food and weight being in the public eye that sudden feeling of being out of control of my body was really hard for me."

Frankie told how doing her job as a famous pop singer was tough as she added: "I gained four stone and I was still having to go on stage with the rest of the girls, who still looked the same as before, and publicly people were seeing me looking different and commenting on that."

Opening up on her headspace at the time, she continued: "I felt this real shame of stepping out on stage in an embarrassment of still being there on stage as I was still doing all of these sexy dance moves and things.

"The whole time I was thinking people were thinking I was disgusting and why is she still there."

Frankie wrote about her mental health in her written memoir named OPEN: Why Asking For Help Can Save Your Life.

During her breakdown, she describes herself as "exhausted, constantly crying and I couldn’t function any longer".

In her early 20s, Frankie required medical help on various occasions and six months before being admitted to a psychiatric unit, Frankie had seen "two therapists and tried three different anti-depressants — Prozac, venlafaxine and sertraline."

While in hospital, she spent most days asleep but Frankie said "that was fine" as it was "a relief to silence my mind so it could just switch off."

Once her sleep was under control, Frankie said that she had stopped crying and started to integrate with the other patients at the private hospital.

In her book, Frankie credits her husband Wayne Bridge for calling the doctor and getting her the help she needed, and she now calls herself "a prime example of how you can have a really bad time and still live your life and achieve things".

"He made me feel safe and loved" she writes.

"I couldn’t have done it with anyone else."

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV.