Natasha Hamilton has said having her new baby daughter has taught her to love herself again.

The Atomic Kitten star became a mum for the fourth time to baby Ella with first-time dad and Five singer Ritchie Neville last year, and already has sons Josh, 12, with Fran Cosgrave, Harry, 10, with Gavin Hatcher and Alfie, four, with Riad Erraji.

She said of her new baby: “Having Ella has taken me into a new chapter in my life and I want her to be proud of me. Her arrival’s helped me finally be able to make peace with my past.

Natasha Hamilton
Natasha Hamilton when she was pregnant with Ella (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

“I feel like I never used to have a good opinion of myself, but now I actually love me, because I’m not a nasty person. I haven’t done anything outrageous, I’ve just tried to live a quiet life. Although my job may be in the public eye, when I’m not working, I’m just at home with the family like any other mum.”

Natasha, 32, continued: “I do get people saying nasty things because my children have different fathers, but I feel I would have been a worse mum staying in relationships which were detrimental to me and my children’s happiness. Sometimes you have to walk away.

“I stand by all my decisions and feel I made the right ones. I’m a control freak, but I’ve realised you can do all you can to make your life right, but it’s not always down to you, it’s down to the other person, and you can’t control them.

Ritchie Neville and Natasha Hamilton
Ritchie Neville and Natasha Hamilton (Jon Furniss/Invision)

“Is it what I wanted out of my life? No, of course not. But I have my lovely sons and now a daughter and you just have to stop dragging the baggage of the past around with you and move on.”

She added of her relationship with Ritchie: “I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy and secure as I am now. I’ve never had a relationship before where I was able to talk so honestly and openly about my feelings as I can with Ritchie.

“I hope with all my heart this time it’s forever and the happy-ever-after ending I’ve always wanted.”

Natasha Hamilton helped launch new animated series, Herbie Hound. All 10 episodes of the new series are available to buy from the Herbie Hound website (story books will be available soon) with a percentage of the proceeds going to Dog’s Trust & Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Visit www.herbiehound.co.uk