Ashley Roberts has shared her heartache over Liam Payne’s struggle

Former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts shared her grief over Liam Payne’s death, sympathising with the pressures put on young artists whose mental health issues may be “overlooked”.

]The 43-year-old, who joined the US girl band in 2003, told The Mirror “I think there are a lot of important messages and conversations about making sure people are checked in on, that they’re feeling all right, especially when you have one singular artist. You got more people around focusing on that one person. Whereas when it’s a group, things can be overlooked.”

Ashley says the music industry has improved in its concern for artists since she started out: “It is a tough industry (but) it’s actually grown in some ways. We’re talking more about mental health and more about what our needs are in order to operate at a high-functioning capacity whereas that just wasn’t a conversation back in the day.”

Pussycat Dolls, (left to right) Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts, Nicole Scherzinger, Carmit Bachar and Kimberly Wyatt ( 
Image:
PA)
Ashley is particularly passionate about advocating for better mental health discussions as she has a personal connection. Her father Pat Roberts, who was a drummer for sixties band Mamas and Papas, died by suicide in March 2018 at the age of 69.

At the time, grief-stricken Ashley penned a heartbreaking tribute on social media. Captioning a photo of herself as a child with her dad, she wrote: “With great sadness in my heart, I wanted to share with you that on the 19th of March – after a long battle of physical and mental health – my father took his own life. I’ve been in a state of shock, confusion, questioning, pain so deep in my guts it’s been hard to come up for air. Feeling like I don’t know how to move forward from here.”

The singer and dancer shared her vulnerabilities, saying she totally empathised with others in the same boat. “For now, I sit here with this pain – inviting it ALL in, to teach me, to heal me, to rebuild me…If any of you have gone through something similar. I understand, and my heart goes out to you.”

Ashley pictured with her late dad, Mamas and Papas star Pat Roberts ( 
Image:
Instagram)

Liam Payne died in tragic circumstances ( 
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Getty Images)
Since the tragic death of her father, Ashley said there’s been some improvement in attitudes to mental health. She said: “It’s just changed so much and we’re talking about it more. People feel more comfortable expressing themselves. Hopefully, they do. Some find it challenging. But it’s important that people know there is support out there and there are people that love you.” Ashley said she finds comfort in her mum Peggy, a pilates teacher, which she started “before it was even a thing”.

The Arizona native often goes back to America to spend quality time with Peggy, saying: “My mum is in her seventies now, and when I go back to see her, we go hiking and do yoga together, and she helps me keep fit!”

These days, Ashley lives in the UK where she hosts Heart FM alongside Amanda Holden, with whom she’s become good friends. The former Britain’s Got Talent judge has even attempted to play matchmaker for Ashley, setting her up on a blind date after the singer endured a dry spell on dating apps. “It didn’t work out!” said Ashley of Amanda’s best cupid efforts. Now though, Ashley is in no need of dating apps or blind dates, having found love with boyfriend George Rollinson, 26. On her new romance she said: “I’m really happy right now, and I’ve got someone in my life that is kind and thoughtful and supportive, and that’s nice.”

Ashley is now loved-up with boyfriend George Rollinson ( 
Image:
GC Images)

Ashley has teamed up with Frankie & Benny’s ( 
Image:
Simon Jacobs/PinPep)
Ashley’s comments about mental health come just over a month after former One Direction member, Liam, fell to his death from the third floor balcony of his hotel room in Argentina. The 31-year-old had been in Buenos Aires in October to see bandmate Nial Horan perform in concert. Liam died after suffering multiple traumas leading to an “internal and external haemorrhage”.

His funeral took place last month, being attended by all bandmates as well as other famous friends. Following Liam’s death, fans of the star launched a petition asking UK lawmakers to enact legislation that would safeguard artists’ mental health. So far, 150,000 people have signed the Change.org petition.

Liam himself advocated for a support system for young artists entering the industry. In a 2019 interview, he revealed how at the height of fame following X Factor, he struggled to cope. The band’s sudden popularity left him feeling lonely and pushed him to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism. Liam said of the time: “It’s almost like putting the Disney costume on before you step up on stage. Underneath the Disney costume, I was pissed quite a lot of the time because there was no other way to get your head around what was going on”.

Alongside advocating for mental health, Ashley Roberts has teamed up with Frankie & Benny’s to celebrate their New York Italian menu where big portions, bold flavours and fresh food is guaranteed. Visit www.frankieandbennys.com