‘As parents, we find so much shame in finding things hard’ — Saturdays’ star Frankie Bridge on mental health and motherhood

The singer, author and mum of two speaks about her depression and her new book, which gives an alternate take on the pressure to be a ‘perfect’ parent

Frankie Bridge

Chrissie Russell

Frankie Bridge comes on to the phone a little breathless. “Sorry,” she says, even though she’s literally only a minute or so late for our scheduled chat. “I was trying to get my nephews to sleep and then I remembered I’d this!”

I assure her it’s absolutely no problem — as a mum to two sleep-resistant youngsters I’m horribly familiar with the fickle nature of napping infants, but also, as one of the 1.3 million people following her on Instagram, I know how smitten she is to have her sister and twin nephews over from their home in Barbados to visit her in London, and, actually, it is I who feel a little guilty that I’m stealing that precious family time away.