Steps singer Claire Richards says she got so big Simon Cowell didn’t recognise her

Steps singer Claire Richards says she got so big Simon Cowell didn’t recognise her

The 34-year-old began overeating when the band split in 2001.

In our final extract from autobiography All Of Me, Claire says: “I stuffed my face, doubling my body weight to a whopping 16½st. My self-esteem hit rock bottom.

"I was no longer ‘Claire from Steps’ â€" I had become the ‘fat one from Steps’.

“I was on holiday in Mexico and saw Simon by the pool. We’d met when I was in Steps. He was there with his then girlfriend Terri Seymour.

“She introduced us and said to Simon, ‘Do you know Claire?’ ‘Claire from... ?’, he replied, looking confused.

“I was thinking should I say ‘Claire from Steps’ when he seemed to catch on.

‘Oh, yeah, you look great, you look amazing!’ he said.

"But I remember wondering, ‘Was that a showbiz snub?’”

Before Steps hit the big time, Claire obsessed over pop star Peter Andre.

She says: “I gave him my number but he didn’t call until we were at the height of fame.”

Adapted by JANE ATKINSON from All Of Me by Claire Richards (published by Sidgwick Jackson on July 5 at £16.99) © Claire Richards 2012.

To buy a copy for £14.99 (with free PP) call 0845 271 2136 or visit thesunbookshop.co.uk.