Rochelle Humes has revealed she previously felt “embarrassed” about being mixed race in an otherwise white household growing up.
The This Morning star admits she felt a need to explain her family’s circumstances when she was younger.
But the 33-year-old Saturdays singer now couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks – and credits that to becoming a mother herself.
Rochelle Humes opens up on her childhood
Rochelle grew up with her mum, stepdad and her sister Emily.
Her mother’s relationship with Rochelle’s biological dad ended when she was a tot.
She detailed during an episode of Kate Ferdinand’s Blended podcast: “I was embarrassed if I had my stepdad turn up to school.
Read more: This Morning star Rochelle Humes makes shock comment as she opens up about estranged dad
“I used to feel I had to explain everything. ‘Oh this is my sister, I know we don’t look alike’.
“I’d come with this whole disclaimer defending what people saw because I was worried people would think, ‘Oh, what’s going on there then?'”
Rochelle continued: “But actually the older I’ve got, I actually don’t give a [bleep] — that’s my family and that is what’s made me, me.”
‘Discovering’ new siblings
Mum-of-three Rochelle, who is married to Marvin Humes, went on: “I always wanted this ‘picture perfect’ family as a kid.
“When I got older and I had my own, on paper, people would think we are picture perfect. But now I really don’t care about that.”
Rochelle hasn’t maintained a close relationship with her biological father.
Although she was devastated to find out when she was a teenager that he’d gone on to have three more kids.
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In recent years, Rochelle has connected with her father’s other children – twins Jake and Lili, 26, and Sophie, 23.
Fans often marvel at the close resemblance between Rochelle and her sisters, labelling them ‘triplets’.
However, the presenter refuses to label any of them as ‘step’ or ‘half’ siblings.
My family is what’s made me, me.
“They are not half of me, they are very much the whole of me,” she added.
“I have three sisters, and one brother, and we have a few different genes between us. But we are all siblings. That’s the way I look at it.”
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Rochelle discusses her family
Meanwhile, it seems Rochelle is reluctant for her biological father to be in her own children’s – daughters Alaia-Mai and Valentina, and son Blake – lives.
Rochelle added: “A lot of people have that thing where they say, ‘I’ve got my own kids, I want them to know their grandparents’.
“Which of course, in an ideal world, that would be exactly what I would want.
Read more: This Morning: Rochelle Humes’ concerns over daughter’s health condition
“However, because of my own experiences, I don’t think I would put my children in a position for them to be the ones that were waiting for grandad.”
In addition, the star shared: “I’ve been let down, and I’ve got control over that. Why would I do that again to kids that I’m raising, when I have the control to not make that a thing?”
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