Frankie Bridge opens up on battling an eating disorder in The Saturdays as ‘the only way to take control’ – and reveals the sweet way Mollie King helped her during her struggle with depression

Frankie Bridge has revealed she struggled with an eating disorder during her time in The Saturdays, explaining it stemmed from feeling a lack of control over her own life.

The 37-year-old singer was part of the popular pop group with Mollie King, Rochelle Humes, Una Healy, and Vanessa White.

During the band’s most successful period, she battled both depression and an eating disorder, revealing she completely avoided carbohydrates.

Frankie shared on the Daily Mail’s ‘The Life Of Bryony’ podcast that food became a source of control for her when other areas of her life felt chaotic.

She described having a very rigid daily schedule. To keep her energy up, she mainly relied on drinks, and if she needed something to eat, she’d usually just grab a cereal bar or some chicken.

I believe my appearance played a part, but it was mainly about control. While I definitely felt pressure to fit a certain image as part of a girl group, that pressure actually came from within myself.

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Honestly, finding ways to manage my day felt completely out of reach for a long time. My anxiety was so overwhelming that it actually killed my appetite – taking control of even something as basic as eating felt impossible. It really started with small steps to reclaim a little bit of control, and that’s what’s made all the difference.

I didn’t realize I had stopped eating. It became clear during therapy when my hands would shake, and my therapist would point out that I needed to eat something.

Frankie shared that she started struggling with depression soon after joining The Saturdays when she was 17 years old.

She explained that her depression began early in her time with The Saturdays. Being in a new band meant constant work, and she quickly lost a sense of personal life and control.

I really enjoyed my time in The Saturdays. It was easy because I didn’t have to make many decisions – I was just told what to do each day. Looking back, I think that lack of independence eventually wore me down.

I felt overwhelmed and like I was losing control of my life, especially with a very public breakup happening at the same time. It all became too much, and I think I experienced burnout, which led to an eating disorder.

The situation escalated before a concert in Ireland when Frankie’s bandmate, Mollie King, found her upset and crying in her hotel room.

She recalled a show they did, likely in Ireland, where she immediately went to the hotel room, turned off the lights, drew the curtains, and went straight to bed.

I believe Molly came into my room and was surprised to see me so upset. I was crying uncontrollably and told her I couldn’t go on with the show. I did manage to perform, but I really needed her support to get through it.

Then, my doctor and the medical team came to my home and told me I needed to be admitted to the hospital. They explained it was the best way to ensure I had enough time to recover, considering my work schedule.

I handled everything through my agent. It felt like I was hiding something shameful – the fact that I was about to be hospitalized. I hadn’t told my daughters, or anyone else, for that matter.

Honestly, going through that was really tough, but my husband, Wayne Bridge, was such a support. We hadn’t been together for very long at that point, but he was truly my rock, and I don’t know how I would have gotten through it without him.

Wayne brought me to the hospital, and honestly, I was ready to get help. He was a huge support, making a real effort to understand what I was going through by talking with my therapists. It was a difficult period, but he stayed by my side throughout it all.

I recently spoke with Frankie, and she shared something really powerful with me. She opened up about her experience with ketamine therapy and how truly life-changing it’s been for her. It was amazing to hear how it helped her transform her life for the better.

Ketamine therapy is a treatment that uses small amounts of ketamine, a medication originally used as an anesthetic, to help people with mental health issues like depression and long-lasting pain. It can often lead to quick improvements in how someone feels, sometimes in just a few hours.

The singer started a new treatment around Christmas, based on a recommendation from her new therapist.

I was pretty isolated for about a year, but I realized I needed help and had to start reconnecting with people. It became clear I wasn’t getting better on my own, and someone suggested I see a new psychiatrist who specializes in ketamine therapy.

My therapist and I had been discussing things, and I realized I had nothing to lose by trying a new approach. I just needed to give something else a shot.

I found myself falling into a dark place, thinking things would be better for everyone if I just disappeared. It was frustrating because even though I was trying so hard, I kept getting stuck in the same negative thoughts.

Honestly, it was a really scary moment when he suggested I try it. I’ve always steered clear of drugs – completely avoided them, actually. My thinking is, it’s either a fantastic night or a potentially fatal one, and that risk just isn’t worth it to me. It felt like a huge deal, a real line in the sand for me.

I recall the first time I had to do this, a few years back around Christmas. It was a really difficult moment, realizing things had gotten to that point. It was almost Christmas, and everyone seemed cheerful while shopping, but I was struggling and needed medication delivered directly into my veins. It just felt incredibly sad.

Frankie says the treatment has dramatically improved their life, and they hope others who could benefit from it will have access to it soon.

She mentioned it was likely the most helpful treatment she’d received in years.

It’s a strange experience because it happens during the process itself, diminishing your sense of self and creating a feeling of detachment, almost like you’re observing from outside your body.

It allows your brain to finally work through emotions or experiences you may have been avoiding or never fully dealt with.

It’s a strange mix of feelings. Sometimes things feel incredibly bleak and I feel insignificant, but then other times I feel expansive and powerful. I can swing between feeling worthless and completely liberated.

Going through this process is intense, and I often feel most lost when I’m closest to a breakthrough. It makes me wonder if I’ll ever feel grounded again. But then I reach out for support, and my therapist helps me feel safe and secure.

Okay, seriously, this thing is incredible! But right now, it’s so hard to get your hands on and the price is just…ouch. It genuinely makes me so sad because it’s completely transformed my life, and I wish everyone could experience it!

This treatment focuses on helping the brain grow new nerve cells and establish connections between them. It provides benefits during the treatment itself, and those benefits continue even after it’s finished.

It’s incredible, but right now it’s quite costly and hard to get, which is disappointing because it’s made a huge positive difference in my life.

Frankie started a fashion business called Faves after regularly sharing her outfits with her Instagram followers.

Fashion has always been important to my work. After having children and leaving my girl group, I suddenly found myself making my own style choices – no one was telling me what to wear anymore.

Honestly, after a big life change, I felt completely disconnected from my own style. I had no idea what clothes would actually work for my body anymore. It was like starting from scratch to rediscover what I loved! I started sharing my journey on Instagram, and surprisingly, people really connected with it. That’s how ‘Frankie’s Faves’ came to be – a way to share what I was finding and help others feel good too.

We rebranded as Faves and removed the Frankie aspect. We’re now planning our third live event, focused on building a community where women can connect with others who share their interests.

2026-02-24 11:05

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