Alexandra Burke's baby dream on hold as she eyes gruelling challenge

Singer Alexandra Burke knows what she wants out of life – it involves getting fit and expanding her family. The X Factor winner, who is already a mum of two, can’t wait to have more kids with herfiance, footballer Darren Randolph.

But first, the 36-year-old wants to run two marathons. Alexandra says: “I’m going to do London next year and, by the grace of God, New York. And then think about more children. I’m desperate for more – we’d love four – but we’re good with whatever the universe gives us because we’re very lucky to even have two.

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“We’d love to try, but just not right now… we’re fitness freaks at the minute. I’m loving work and enjoying just being a mum and an actress.”

The former X Factor winner says her health came into focus eight years ago when she lost her mum, the Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell at the age of 53.She was diabetic and suffered kidney failure. Alexandra says that taking care of herself became even more of a priority after the arrival of her children, aged three and two. She and Darren have never publicly shared their names or gender in a bid to help keep them out of the limelight.

Alexandra says: “I’ve always been in the fitness mindset. As long as I can be healthy and strong for my kids, nothing else matters. I feel your health is your wealth and you’ve just got to take care of stuff as much as you can. We live in a world where you hear about so much negativity. If there’s one thing we all can control, it’s what we put in our bodies, how much we move our bodies, create great endorphins and just try and find happiness in every thing that we try and do.”

Having run the London Marathon this year, Alexandra caught the bug. “Marathons come first now,” she says. “Running gives me so much joy. I only ran 10k once in lockdown or would just do 5k on the treadmill. Now I do nine miles.”

The star has also set herself another fitness goal – the notoriously tough Hyrox challenge, which tests endurance and strength. Alexandra will be doing it alongside Middlesbrough FCgoalkeeper Darren, 38. She reckons that couples who train together really do stay together, revealing that their exercise sessions have further cemented their already strong relationship.

Alexandra adds: “Darren’s an athlete… know what I mean? I’ve got to keep up with him. He pushes me and goes, ‘Alex, come on… you’re the one that’s always optimistic, positive. You’re having a bit of a low day today, but we’ll just go out for a run together’.”

Working out with Darren has transformed Alexandra’s body shape – and she believes that for her, exercise is a much better weight-loss option than fat jabs. She says: “It’s your body, your choice. But my choice is to make sure my a*** is in that gym and I’m running.”

Also keeping her blood pumping is her upcoming role as Morticia in The Addams Family musical tour, which begins this month. But a knee injury she sustained in rehearsals threatened to halt her star turn before it even began.

At the Grand Prix Ball for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Alexandra said: “I injured myself a few weeks ago with a suspected torn meniscus. The MRI came back and it wasn’t torn… it would’ve been awful. I’m still able to do the show.”

As well as her X Factor success in 2008, Alexandra finished as a runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 with her pro partner Gorka Marquez, had a No.1 album in 2009 and has starred in the West End stage shows The Bodyguard and Sister Act. The Londoner has also just made her on-screen acting debut in the new Paramount+ crime drama Curfew, alongside Cutting It star Sarah Parish.

And as well as those marathons and babies, she has set her sights on Hollywood’s bright lights. “I’d love something in the Avengers, I’m not going to lie,” she admits. “I want to be Wakanda! Nobody is hearing about Wakanda so I’m going to keep putting that in the universe. I’ll even shave my head for it.”

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