Christine Lampard: ‘Living in Newry I had a very, very happy life.’

The Loose Women presenter told of her early years as part of the 'Life Before Loose' series on the ITV show this week.

The 45-year-old who was born in Newry and later moved to Newtownards, explained how she had a "lovely life" in Northern Ireland.

The mum-of-two also reflected on the relationship with her mum Mina, dad Frederick, and sister Nicola.

The Co Down woman said: "Mum and dad were just brilliant, back in Newry, yeah it was a very, very happy life.

"We were spoilt in the best way in that there was just nothing but love at home thankfully and we felt very blessed for that.

“Dad was a drummer his whole life so he was away a lot and away with bands, but we grew up, when I think back now, in a house full of music.

"It's still why I love music and live performances now, and that comes from dad, because I remember being taken to watch the band.

Also while speaking on the show, Christine explained how she's always been "headstrong", reflecting on how she decided to walk out of school and take herself home, aged just five.

"I was born in Newry and was at school there and I loved my primary school there.

"Windsor Hill primary it was called. And then I moved school and decided straight away that I hated it, I missed all my friends. I was five, so I decided, “Well I'm not staying here,” and I walked out.

"We had just moved to this town, so mum to this day cannot fathom how I found my way home.

"The headstrong thing was definitely there from a very young age," she said.

The former Daybreak presenter also shared that she got her start in television on a programme hosted by current Late Late Show host and Co Down comedian Patrick Kielty.

However, Christine admitted she was more interested in the behind the scenes action rather than in front of the camera.

“I really have no idea where it came from but it was the technical side that first interested me,” she said.

Christine also opened up about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

She said: "When you grow up in a set-up like that, it does become you, you don't know any different.

"You become addicted to listening to the news everyday because there was no social media, no mobile phones in those sort of early days, so everything, your life was dictated to by what the news was that day.

"So whether you could drive into Belfast, whether you couldn't, whether you could go to school that day, whether you couldn't.

“It was so shocking, so soul destroying, but it was weirdly our norm, and people still had to get on with life."

The television star shares two children – Patricia (5) and Freddie (2) – with her former Chelsea star husband Frank Lampard. She is also a step-mother to his daughters Luna (18) and Isla (16) from a previous relationship.