EXCLUSIVELY: Natasha Hamilton, 40, reveals she endured a secret IVF heartache before her pregnancy

Natasha Hamilton has revealed she secretly suffered from artificial insemination before becoming pregnant with her “wonderful” fifth child.

The 40-year-old Atomic Kitten singer – who is currently expecting a baby girl with husband Charles Gay – turned to insemination techniques last summer but was disappointed when it failed.

Already a mother of four, she shares son Josh, 20, with famed bodyguard Fran Cosgrave, Harry, 18, with actor Gavin Hatcher, Alfie, 12, with ex-husband Riad Erraji, and Ella, 8, with boy band actor Star Ritchie Neville.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Natasha gushed that her pregnancy “wasn’t difficult at all” despite fearing it would be.

She said, “Touch wood…everything was great.” Yes, at first I had morning sickness and was really tired. But because of my age, I actually thought that maybe it would be a more difficult pregnancy, but that’s not the case.

“I still do all the things I would have done when I was younger.” I manage to go to the gym sporadically. Actually I would like to walk more. I’ve just started getting a lot of energy. I’m almost 23 weeks so I’ll be back in the gym.

“But no, I’m still busy.” I’m still touring with Liz [McClarnon]. I’m still bouncing around on stage and doing my dance moves. I still film TV. It didn’t stop me at all, really.”

Natasha had hoped to welcome her new arrival in the comfort of her own home – but the licensed doctors have expressed concerns because of their age.

She said, “That would be great because I had Ella at home.” I usually give birth very quickly and easily…the thought of having to drive to the hospital while the labor was in progress – which actually happened when I was at Alfie was in labor – kind of traumatized me.

“I was like, ‘I’m going to come here for the fifth birth in the back seat of a car.’ And I really don’t want to do that.” So for me, for me, because I’m at home, I like my hypno birth and I like my candles and like my beautiful music that appeals to me.

“But I’m still in the care of the hospital and w.”We communicate. I think because of my age they would prefer to do it in the hospital but I also have my midwives who really support me taking a bath at home too.”

Responding to her four children’s reactions when she shared her exciting news with them, she explained: “THey, I knew that me and Charlie had been trying for quite a while since we got married.

“From the moment we got married we knew we wanted to start a family and that was in September 2021.”

“So, to some degree, depending on their age, they understood that it wasn’t really happening to us.” We did a round of IVF last summer that didn’t work. When we told the kids, they were overjoyed.’

Elsewhere, in the run-up to the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, Natasha and Deliveroo are introducing ‘deliver-pudlian’ phonetic menus to help visitors learn the lingo.

She said, “Well, it’s well known that the Scouse accent can be a bit difficult to understand, as can Scottish and Geordie accents.”

“There will be over 100,000 people in Liverpool, not just from Europe but from all over the world.” So I’ve teamed up with Deliveroo to help them with thatTranslate some menus phonetically.

The Deliver-pudlian menus will be available in five local restaurants via the Deliveroo app, website Deliveroo.co.uk and in-store until Saturday 13 May.