Strictly's Kym Marsh declared 'I quit' over claim she spurned British troops performance

express.co.uk:

Kym Marsh revealed she had been in tears over claims that she had refused to sing at a concert for British troops.The Strictly star proved that she was no quitter when her performance of the Charleston attracted praise from the judges last weekend, but back in the early days of fame, things were very different.The historic allegations left 24-year-old Kym fuming and she instantly issued a statement telling the world she was quitting her band, Hear'Say.The move came merely months after she had risen from obscurity and beaten thousands to win a place in the music group.

She revealed all about the traumatic moment in her autobiography, From The Heart."At the start of 2002, we were invited to play to British troops in Oman but I needed to be in the country for my children," she explained.David, 26, and Emilie, 24, who she shares with ex-partner Dave Cunliffe, are now grown up, but at the time of her rise to stardom, they were just six and four years old.Kym had previously admitted on Popstars that she thought having two children could stand in the way of her path to fame.However, little did she know a rumour would surface saying that she wasn't interested in doing a patriotic performance."There was a misunderstanding that I didn't want to go to Oman and a newspaper got wind of the story," she continued."When I asked my PR agent he said that someone [I knew] had spoken to the newspaper.

I felt utterly betrayed."Then I was asked by a newspaper if I had any comment and I was so angry I said: 'I quit'," she exclaimed.

On reflection, she bitterly regretted making the decision so quickly, before talking to anyone else in the group. "I'm sorry I quit through a newspaper - if we could have had a chat to clear the air it wouldn't.