EXCLUSIVE: Opera singer Camilla Kerslake, 37, is married to former England rugby captain and Strictly Come Dancing star Chris Robshaw, 39 – and she says she’d be ‘rubbish’ on the dance floor
Opera singer Camilla Kerslake may be famed for her on-stage talents, but unlike husband Chris Robshaw, she’s not planning to don the sequins for Strictly . “I think I’d be rubbish,” the 37-year-old tells us. “They say some people are triple threats; singing, acting and dancing… Well, I can sing. Can I act? Questionable. Can I dance? Definitely not.”
Despite being no match for former England rugby captain Chris, 39, on the dance floor, Camilla was a regular in the Strictly audience last year and her man’s biggest cheerleader before he and pro partner Nadiya Bychkova were the third couple to be eliminated.
Chatting to OK ! at the Football For Peace Water Gala at London’s CÉ LA VIE restaurant, Camilla recalls how she and former Harlequins player Chris first met when she sang the national anthem at England games. “He was made captain a year into our relationship, and I think I sang two or three more times and then decided to sit down,” she says. “I thought it was better for me to support him from the stands, and I didn’t want him to have to think about anything except rugby.”
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The pair married in 2018, and later welcomed sons Wilding, now five, and Hunter, one. These days, it’s a juggle to balance careers with home life. “I’m a jobbing singer; I go from job to job,” says Camilla, who found fame after signing to Gary Barlow’s Future Records.
“The highs definitely make it worthwhile, but it can be tricky to navigate. It’s exhausting planning the diaries. You have plough on, keep practising and keep as fit as possible.” Though many may not realise the demanding nature of her career as a soprano, she says, “You have to train like an athlete, so that’s probably why Chris and I got on so well in the beginning.”
Now nearing 10 years of marriage, might Camilla be keen to renew their vows – particularly now their children are old enough to enjoy the moment?
“I would like to, actually,” she says. “I was five when my mum and stepfather got married, and I remember it really fondly. There’s something magical about having children at a wedding, they can share the love.”
As for expanding the family, Camilla is not so sure. “I think I’m done,” she smiles. “They say one is really nice and sort of like the miracle of creation. Then going from one to two feels like going from like one to 27! I think I’m happy with my little family of four. We’re like a little square, with our dog in the middle.
“I want to raise the boys to be emotionally intelligent and kind and to understand that everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally. I think that’s going to be my contribution to the world.”
Though only five, it seems Wilding may already be following in his dad’s footsteps. “He’s very athletic, and very fast. He had me out playing cricket this morning, and then his dad was playing football with him.”
Younger son Hunter seems to be showing more of an appreciation for music. “He dances to anything – even the rhythm of the coffee machine in the morning!”
After winning 66 England caps during his career, Chris retired from rugby in 2022, and is now at home more often – which Camilla fully embraces. “I love him, and like having him around,” she says.
“He works away doing punditry quite a lot at the weekend, as do I. But we make it work. We’re both incredibly supportive of each other’s careers.”
The lack of rugby injuries is also a major bonus. “It’s nice he’s not in pain all the time,” she says. “He used to always be really sore, but now he and the boys can have a real wrestle – and we can have a proper cuddle.”
Camilla recently made headlines after posting an image of herself online following laser treatment, which showed her face looking red and inflamed.
Though fine now, she tells us, “You can still see the marks in the light. But I’d done a bit of research, and knew what to expect. I knew I had to go to a doctor who had loads of experience and the best machines. It was the first serious thing I’ve had done.”
That said, she has dabbled with other tweakments. “I love Botox and have had salmon sperm facials twice.
She doesn’t rule out further work either, saying, “In 10 years, I’ll probably have had a facelift.”
Camilla’s openness is partly down to the comedian Katherine Ryan, who revealed a full facelift in February.
“She looks fantastic,” says Camilla. “One reason I made it public was I was quite inspired by her. But also I got cross with people saying it was ‘lemon water and Pilates’. I thought, ‘That’s rubbish, I’m telling the truth.’”
Of fitness, Camilla says, “I mainly do weights, and yoga once a week. That’s my non-negotiable. I have no interest in having osteoporosis, so I add more weights. The only cardio I really do is pushing my kids to nursery and school in the buggy. It’s uphill.”
She and Chris also have a gym in the garage, but as she says, “It’s incredibly unglamorous. You’re picking leaves and spiders out of your hair!”
Apparently no fan of roughing it, Camilla reveals she was once asked to do Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls .
“I wish I’d done it. It would’ve been good for me and given me some grit,” she says. “I can survive the urban jungle, but can I survive in the wild? Probably not.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
