I was Take That’s biggest fan & thought I’d never walk again – then I danced on stage with the band every night

WHILE 90s pin-ups Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald may joke about ageing after more than three decades in the business, it’s Zoe who has every reason to appreciate just how precious every show is. That’s because five years ago she feared her career was over. Zoe with her daughter Aaria Credit: Instagram Zoe on stage with Gary Barlow in Southampton Credit: Getty The Pop Idol finalists – sadly Darius, centre, passed away Credit: Reuters Crippled by severe osteoarthritis, Zoe could barely put on her own shoes, let alone dare to dream about taking to the stage in front of thousands of screaming fans alongside the band she idolised as a nine-year-old. Zoe, who shot to fame as a starry-eyed 16 year-old on Pop Idol, refused to give up and agreed to a hip replacement that she calls “the best thing I’ve ever done”. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! “Having a hip replacement completely changed my life,” says the 41-year-old. “There was moments where I couldn’t put on my own shoes. I literally couldn’t walk for longer than a minute. I did think that my career could be over. “So it was the best thing I’ve ever done, and I know I’ll have to have it done again in about 15 years, potentially, if this one lasts that long. “But I fully got my life back. It’s helped with my career, with certain roles that I’ve played. I wouldn’t have been able to be in Moulin Rouge doing can-can kicks eight shows a week if I had the old hip that I had. “And it’s made me a better mother, I can run around and play with my daughter without any pain.” For thousands watching Take That’s spectacular Circus tour this summer, Zoe is the powerhouse vocalist bringing the house down during Relight My Fire, belting out Lulu’s famous vocals. It’s a full-circle moment for the former Pop Idol star, who first watched the band live as a nine-year-old and covered her bedroom walls with their posters. Most read in Fabulous But it’s a physical show which sees Zoe descend to the stage in a fiery cage before strutting around in killer heels. And Zoe admits it’s not just hard work on stage, she has to put in the hours behind the scenes to make sure her hip holds up. She says: “I have to go to the gym at least four times a week for strength and conditioning training to keep my hip in the best shape. “One of the things my surgeon said to me after the operation was, ‘You must look after your body, you must train and eat the correct nutrition. “And since then I’ve taken that really seriously. “I don’t want to have to pay the money that I paid for my hip replacement again anytime soon. It’d be nice if I could get a good 20 years or more from this one. “But I love there training, it’s given me the foundation to feel strong out there on stage. It feels great. “Everyone knows I can sing, but now I want to push myself and see how far I can go physically.” Zoe is singing Relight My Fire made famous by pop icon Lulu Credit: Splash Zoe is loving being part of the Circus tour Credit: Getty That resilience has become the defining thread running through a career that began as a teenager when she impressed millions on the prime time TV show that made Simon Cowell a household name. Growing up in County Durham, the proud working-class Northerner discovered her love of performing as a child, little knowing it would eventually take her from local stage schools to TV and then to the West End. Looking back, Zoe describes herself as “a little fighter”. While finishing fourth on the show – which was eventually won by Will Young – opened doors, Zoe insists nothing since has come easily in her career: “It’s a tough business and you have to have the mental strength of an ox,” she says. “It’s hard out there. The industry changes all of the time. “I’ve never wanted to give up, I didn’t throw in the towel, but I’ve definitely had to navigate my career in different areas. “I’ve been singing to 80,000 people every night. But shortly I won’t be, I’ll be back to auditions again, that’s the reality of the industry. “Over the years I’ve had to kick down some doors and really prove myself. Zoe played the leading role in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical in 2024 Credit: Getty Zoe on Pop Idol back in 2001 Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd “I joined musical theatre at a time where people hated reality TV. People didn’t want reality TV stars in their musicals, and I had to prove that I can act, I can dance, I can sing, I deserve to be here and I will work really hard. “I’ve never been one of those girls who it falls in their lap or I’ve never been lucky enough to kind of be in the right place at the right time.” “I’m a mixed race female from a working-class background,” she sighs. “That’s something I’m extremely proud of. But the industry changes all of the time. “Sometimes I don’t have enough followers for certain roles. Like, it’s crazy out there at the minute. You can walk into an audition and before I even open my mouth to sing, they will say, ‘How many followers do you have?’ “It doesn’t put me off. But I hope once I get in the door that I prove that it’s not always about how many followers you have, that my talent is enough.” Zoe is now an established West End star Credit: Getty Zoe got her big break on Pop Idol at the age of 16 Credit: Getty It’s not just her career that’s tested her, the last 12 months have been one the toughest years Zoe has tackled in her personal life. While starring as Tina Turner in the West End she suffered a devastating miscarriage. Initially Zoe, who has daughter Aaria, nine, with husband Adam, blamed herself, questioning whether the demanding role had somehow contributed. “I thought maybe I was working too hard,” she says. “As women we naturally think, ‘Was it my fault?’ But it wasn’t. “I was in such a demanding role, physical role. I was like, maybe it was something that I did on stage that I didn’t realise. “Maybe I was working too hard. Maybe I wasn’t drinking enough milk. The smallest things as a woman, you feel, was it my fault? And it wasn’t, it’s never our fault.” Zoe kept her heartbreak a secret from fans but says after watching Myleene Klass speak publicly about her pregnancy loss, she decided to share her own story. And the response overwhelmed her: “My inbox flooded with women sharing their stories. So many said, ‘You’ve made me feel seen.’ “It’s more common than people think. So many women contacted me and told me their stories. “There’s a lot of shame around it but I think if we’re all more open, then hopefully that will help the next woman it happens to.” “It’s made me realise how mentally strong I am. “I think with the hip replacement, with being labelled a Pop Idol reject when I was younger, and after then going through this last year, I looked at everything over the last 25 years, and there’s been a lot of big hurdles for me that I’ve really had to dig deep and push through. “And it’s made me realise how bloody strong I actually am mentally. I’m sure there’ll be more to come that I will face. But I’ve never fallen. “I’m not a lucky person, but maybe that’s one of the reasons why I was put here, to kind of face things head on and deal with situations. “That seems to inspire other women to keep going as well.” Comment now