Strictly Come Dancing winner Alesha Dixon revealed yesterday how she transformed herself from suicidal wreck to dancing queen in 12 extraordinary months. The former 'Misteeq' singer was in the depths of despair last Christmas.
Dixon, 29, was left distraught after discovering her husband, ex-So Solid Crew star MC Harvey, was cheating on her with another woman, and days later she was dumped by her record company.
Alesha said: “It was the lowest point of my life. I just kept thinking, ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ I didn’t see the point in living.”
On Saturday night, Alesha - whose hits with the UK girl band include "Why?" and "One Night Stand," became the nation’s favourite dancer as 12.5 million viewers tuned in to watch her emotion-charged telly triumph.
She added to British newspaper The Sun: “Look at me now. I’ve learned to dance, I’m happy and I believe it was meant to happen.
“Strictly has just given me a real zest for life. I thrive on hard work and even though my body is in pain and tired, my first choice is to get up and do something. Life is so short. We should all grasp it.”
And things seem to be on the up for Alesha - she is in talks to land a major role in West End musical Chicago.
She is heading to Asia next month to promote the solo songs her record company previously refused to release. And she is also poised to sign a new recording deal with another label.
Alesha – partnered by Matthew Cutler for five dazzling dances in Saturday’s final – told how she turned around her fortunes so dramatically by trying desperately to “be positive”. She said:
"Last Christmas was a real, real low point. Anyone who knows me knows that my music career and marriage were the most important things. And I lost them within two weeks of each other.
"I believe in karma – and I sat there thinking, ‘I must have done something.’
"It was a really weird time, a time where I had to force myself to believe all these things were being swept away for a reason. Believe me, it wasn’t easy."
Alesha added that despite losing Harvey, she was not totally alone, her cherished nans and her closest friends stayed by her side throughout the dark days.
And suddenly she realized it was down to her to pull through – and live again.
She said: "I’d been sitting on my couch and I was down all the time. But one evening a light bulb went off in my head and the next morning I started making calls, starting to make things happen.
"I had to start the engine myself. For my own sanity and peace of mind, I had to be positive. So many women have told me, ‘I would have spent months and months being depressed.’ But I just refused to.
"My mum always taught me that no matter what you go through, there are people going through much worse.
"And I realised that what I had outweighed what I had lost. I had my friends and family. My close friends were with me all the time. You realize what’s important in life."
Alesha also revealed that signing up for Strictly was the best decision she had ever made - but she almost held back, fearing rejection from 'music industry snobs.'
She added: “I didn’t say Yes straight away. When I was in Mis-Teeq I said I’d never do a reality show. Or if I did, the only one would be Strictly.
“In the music industry there is a certain amount of snobbery – and Strictly was a risk for me. I didn’t want people thinking I was using it as a vehicle.
“But I finally thought, ‘Who cares what people think? I know why I’m doing it.’
“I’m Sso glad I stuck by my choice. The reality was I wanted to learn how to dance. And that’s what I did.” Alesha has even found it within herself to forgive Harvey, 28 – despite Javine, 25, expecting his baby.
Asked if she had any contact with him, she replied: “He wished me good luck. He always told me I’d be brilliant on Strictly.
“I even had my mother-in-law and his aunties come down to the show because I’m still really close to his family.
“I have forgiven Harvey. We’re adults and we’re dealing with it as maturely as two people can.”
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