Ashley Roberts Reveals Grueling Health Battle on Loose Women with Facial Shingles and Stomach Ulcers – But Fans Criticize ITV Panel trucc

Ashley Roberts has told of her health battle on Loose Women which saw her fight facial shingles and stomach ulcers - but fans felt compelled to weigh in with the same complaint. 

The Heart Radio presenter and former Pussycat Dolls singer, 43, appeared on the ITV panel show on Thursday to promote her new book Breathwork. 

It sees her share breathing techniques that helped her with restlessness, anxiety, terrible sleep and a career change - as well as her father's tragic death by suicide. 

She was interviewed on the programme by panellists Charlene White, 45, Linda Robson, 67, Kelly Brook, 45, and Nadia Sawalha, 60. 

Ashley shared with them the dramatic health battles she was facing before starting breathwork exercises turned her life around. 

But meanwhile, viewers at home were all annoyed by the same thing - they were distracted from her honest confessions by the panellists talking over her. 

Ashley Roberts has told of her health battle on Loose Women which saw her fight facial shingles and stomach ulcers - as fans all weighed in with the same complaint

The Heart Radio presenter and former Pussycat Dolls singer (pictured), 43, appeared on the ITV panel show on Thursday to promote her new book Breathwork.

During the interview, Ashley (pictured in The Pussycat Dolls) got very vulnerable about a particularly difficult period in her life and work 

One user said on X: 'Can Charlene just let Ashley get a word in? She is the guest.' 

Another commented on the social media platform: 'Why don't you all shut up and let Ashley Roberts speak?' 

It came as during the interview, Ashley got very vulnerable about a particularly difficult period in her life and work. 

She had entered into a new phase of her career, after her gruelling time in the iconic noughties girl band The Pussycat Dolls, known for hits like Don't Cha and Buttons. 

And her father Pat Roberts, the former drummer for American folk rock group The Mamas & The Papas, tragically took his own life aged 37 in 2018.   

'So, at one point, I had eczema across my legs, shingles across my face and an ulcer [in her stomach]', she said. 

Nadia exclaimed, 'That's so old-fashioned!', while Ashley's Heart Radio colleague Kelly said sympathetically, 'I can't imagine you being that stressed out!' 

Ashley continued: 'And I went to this acupuncturist and she goes, "If you don't scream, your body is going to scream for you". 

'So, at one point, I had eczema across my legs, shingles across my face and an ulcer [in her stomach]', she said

The TV personality told of how challenging her pop career had been: 'It was a lot, it was also a different time'. Pictured: Ashley in The Pussycat Dolls in 2005

Viewers at home were all annoyed by the same thing - they were distracted from her honest confessions by the panellists talking over her

'You know, it's going to find a way to get out... 

'And all of a sudden, it catches up to you and you're like, "Oh, wait a second, maybe I should have taken a pause and done something like breathwork", or whatever it is, go for a walk, have a dance.'

The TV personality told of how challenging her pop career had been: 'It was a lot, it was also a different time. 

'We have so many different conversations that we're having now, like even today, just sitting and talking about this. 

'But I mean, back then, it was just like, you got on the horse, saddle up and let's go, we're going for the ride.'

Her childhood experience with competitive dancing had given her a certain attitude to her own mental health. 

'I sort of was like, "Well, the show must go on!"', she said. 

'But yeah, it did take its toll over time. It was a hard schedule to keep up with, that's for sure.' 

Ashley discovered breathwork on a digital detox retreat, in this period when she was generally 'feeling a bit lost'

The presenter has also waged a long-running battle against sleeplessness and racing thoughts, with a 'mind that is always going a bit crazy'. 

'So, the people that know me best know that I've struggled with sleep for most of my life', she explained.  

'Since I was 14, I had a really bad episode and so, [breathwork] is something, yes, that can help you.' 

Breathwork is a practice that uses controlled breathing techniques to reduce stress, improve mental clarity and promote physical and emotional healing. 

Ashley discovered it on a digital detox retreat, in this period when she was generally 'feeling a bit lost'. 

She recalled thinking to herself: '"Woah, this is the most relaxed and connected to myself that I've felt in so long".' 

Amid her grisly health struggles, the radio host has found breathing techniques 'transformative and so precious'. 

'And that's why I want to share it because the human experience is tricky, right? None of us get out unscathed', she said. 

'And sometimes, it's tough and it smacks you around a little bit. 

'And this is the most personal I’ve been, within this book, because I wanted to share my story and how that has affected my nervous system, my over-active mind.' 

It comes after Ashley opened up to the Mail's The Life of Bryony Podcast about other aspects of the devastating toll her time in the music industry had on her. 

She told Mail columnist Bryony Gordon how being forced to give up dancing - and discovering breathwork - pulled her back from the brink of a mental breakdown. 

The performer was only 22 years old when she joined The Pussycat Dolls in 2003, eventually moving to London from Los Angeles after their split in 2010.

Ashley's new book transforms the hard-won lessons from her difficult past into practical techniques for improving mental and physical health.

'My body was literally shutting down', Ashley told the podcast.

'The Dolls were in London doing a show. I was sat in my hotel room and all of a sudden, I had this extreme headache.

The performer (pictured in 2008) was only 22 years old when she joined The Pussycat Dolls in 2003, eventually moving to London from Los Angeles after their split in 2010

'The pain was unreal. I also felt really sick. We were supposed to do a show in Germany the next day, so I called my manager - who told me to go to the hospital.

'The doctors thought I'd had a brain aneurysm. When I went to have an MRI, my knee locked up and that was viral arthritis entering my body.

'My mentality at the time was all about making it to the next show – but that was the moment I remember thinking, "What's going on here? I need to take a second because this isn't cool".'

Ashley revealed how the cutthroat music industry had instilled a toxic work ethic that was destroying her health.

'The early 2000s was a whole different era honey', the performer told Bryony.

'No one ever spoke about mental health or the importance of checking in. 

'I am grateful there has been a shift – people cancelling shows now when they need to look after themselves.

'I felt I was weak. It was instilled in us from a young age that we were interchangeable. 

'There was a pressure of like, if you don't show up, who knows what might happen?

'I grew up in the dance world and there is still an attitude of – if you break your toe, you need to keep going. Your mind is programmed to think: the show must go on.

'In the end, I had to take some time off. It was a viral infection with extreme side effects – what was probably a manifestation of being so rundown.'

Following The Pussycat Dolls' split in 2010, Ashley began building her career in the UK, finishing as runner-up on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2012.

After making the move to London permanent, the Heart Radio presenter told Bryony how feeling 'spiritually lost' in her new home led her to discover breathwork - her second great love after music.

'After the Dolls, I stopped dancing completely', Ashley said.

'Being in a pop group for so long, I just shut all that down and wanted to go in a different direction.'

It was then she found breathwork: 'It created this sense of calm that I can't explain.

'I always felt this chaos internally and suddenly, for a few moments, it felt like I wasn't battling it anymore.

'I didn't quite realise how then how great a tool it would be in helping me process life.

'When my dad died, that ability to reflect gave me the motivation to stay strong – and I want to share that.'

Loose Women is available to watch on ITV1 on weekdays at 12.30pm and to stream on ITVX.