Claire Richards reveals she finally feels comfortable with her size 16 shape

Claire Richards reveals she finally feels comfortable with her size 16 shape

By Sarah Fitzmaurice

PUBLISHED: 15:57 EST, 29 January 2013 | UPDATED: 02:18 EST, 30 January 2013

She readily admits that she has struggled with her body shape but Claire Richards is finally ready to embrace her figure.

The 35-year-old singer spoke out about feeling comfortable in her own skin and loving her size 16 shape.

She told MailOnline: 'Make the most of your curves, don't hide them. I'm all about the curves.'

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Celebrate the curves! Claire Richards says she is finally comfortable in her size 16 shape as she raises a glass to toast her appointment as the face of a plus-sized clothing line

When asked if she felt comfortable in her own skin Claire replied: 'Absolutely, but it has taken me a long time.'

She added: 'A lot of that has to do with the public perception of me.'

The Celebrity Big Brother contestant, who has fluctuated between a trim size 10 and a size 20, went on to explain how public scrutiny over her figure lead to her feel bad about herself.

She added: 'I think I look bigger in pictures and on telly than I am for a start.'

It's taken a long time: The 35-year-old singer says she struggled with her public reaction to her size but now knows how to dress her fuller figure

It's not about being skinny: Claire says she uses hidden panels and spanks underwear to flatter her shape

'When you have people drawing attention to it and making silly comments it's hard.'

Claire was recently revealed as the face of plus-sized clothing line Fashion World and the Steps star said she understands the problem larger women face when trying to find fashionable clothes.

She said: 'A big thing with my weight and my size and the kind of yo-yo cycle and what I struggled a lot with when I first put the weight on, was knowing how to dress.'

Taking a sip of pink champagne she added: 'If I go out ok I’m not a size ten I will make the most of what I have got and hopefully I will look nice. It’s not about whether you look skinny, you don’t have to because not everybody is.'

'I think with Fashion World they concentrate heavily on the issues that women worry about with their body.'

'It was amazing': The Steps singer said she loved being the in the Big Brother house and described the cheers she received on Friday night as 'mental'

And speaking about her own style she said: 'I’m all about hidden panels and spanx and covering your arms, things that makes me look better.'

Claire, who left the Big Brother house on Friday, also spoke about the experience and about the bond she made with Rylan Clark. 

I was scared to come out of that house. It’s weird when you’ve been locked up for such a long time and every eviction night because my name was said first and Brian would say 'Claire' I would think that no-one really heard it. I would think: "Oh my god everyone hates me."'

'When I came out on Friday night it was mental, it was amazing.'

'I’m glad it’s over. I loved it, it was great fun I would never have an experience like that again I loved it.

Claire formed a close bond with winner of the show Rylan and said he felt like her child.

She said: 'He’s lovely. He’s so cute I’m only 10 years older than him and I feel like I’ve got another child that I’ve adopted. He behaves like a kid most of the time. He’s so funny. I’m glad that he got a chance to show everybody that he’s not what they thought it was on X Factor. He’s so quick he’s one of the quickest-wittiest people I’ve ever met. And he can sing.'

He's like my adopted child! Claire had nothing but praise for Rylan and described how she feels like a mother to him

While she will be meeting up with Rylan soon, and introducing him to the rest of Steps, Claire is unlikely to be speaking to Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt anytime soon.

She said: 'I can't see myself bumping into them.'

'They played a game. They went in there to do that and they did it very well and without them it probably wouldn’t have been the series it was. Do I know who the real Heidi and Spencer are? Even now I have no idea I have no clue.'

Speaking about her plans for the coming year, Claire, who will be hosting a cooking segment on Alan Tichmarsh's show, revealed she would love to have a solo career singing, with the help from her favourite Essex boy.

She said: 'The one thing I would love to do a solo album'.

When asked if she would team up with Rylan she enthused: 'Can you imagine? I would love to, but it would have to be dance with him, as long as I don’t have to learn a dance routine. I’ll just stand in the corner. It would be fun.'