X Factor Judge Sinitta Opens Up About Single Motherhood

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It has been a bittersweet two years for X Factor star Sinitta. Last February, her dreams of motherhood were realized when she adopted siblings Magdalena, 3, and Zac, 2, and now the 42-year-old singer reveals that she and husband Andy Willner have been living on separate continents since April. "Not only am I experiencing motherhood for the first time, I’m doing it as a single parent," she tells The Mirror. While the couple haven’t officially broken up, they only see each other once every eight weeks, with Andy having relocated to Hong Kong and Sinitta staying behind in England. She doesn’t have the time or energy to feel sorry for herself, however. Instead, Sinitta says, "I have to make sure I create a happy life for the children."

"The first few months were scary. I wondered what was going to happen to us. Then I thought: ‘You know what? What’s going to happen is we’re going to get on with our lives.’"

Still, Andy’s departure "knocked me sideways," Sinitta admits — and welcoming Magdalena and Zac was at first overwhelming. "I think I’m still recovering from having two children. My life felt out of balance and all I could manage was taking care of them. You’re just exhausted," she says. Fortunately, Sinitta has help in the form of a nanny as well as a devoted godfather in Simon Cowell, her X Factor boss and ex-boyfriend. Notorious for being a grouch, "Silly Simon" — as he is called by the kids — is surprisingly sweet, Sinitta reveals.

"When the babies arrived, he was as happy as if it was happening to him. He was quite emotional. Magdalena now performs songs for Simon like she’s on the show and he’ll grin and say she’s rubbish!"

Click ‘more’ to read about the day Sinitta met her children.

Sinitta says she "never gave up on the idea" of being a mom, even after she was repeatedly warned by doctors it was "unlikely" that she would ever birth a baby of her own. She ultimately endured three miscarriages, four courses of IVF and two attempts at surrogacy before turning to adoption. 18 months later, Sinitta and Andy were introduced to their two children, who were living in separate foster homes at the time. Of meeting Magdalena, Sinitta recalls,

"There were butterflies in my stomach. It was like a blind date! I was frightened she might not like us. But as soon as I laid eyes on her, that disappeared. It felt like it was meant to be. I feel so close to them both."

There are some regrets about sharing her fertility struggles with the public, but not many. "I had so many women come up to me in the street and say how much it comforted and helped them when they were going through the same thing," Sinitta says. With that chapter of her life now closed, Sinitta says that her kids give her "the feel-good factor" and keep her young. She adds, 

"Being a mummy still feels surreal but I don’t think the magic will ever wear off."

In addition to Magdalena and Zac, Andy is dad to Rudi, 17, and Tamara, 13.

Source: The Mirror