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Ashley Roberts defends Pussycat Dolls from sexist 'double standards'

NO MERCHANDISING / UK SALES ONLY. File photo dated 27/01/09 of The Pussycat Dolls performing on stage at the O2 Arena in London. The group have announced a reunion tour of the UK and Ireland in April 2020 - 10 years since their split.
Pussycat Dolls performing on stage at the O2 Arena in London.

Ashley Roberts has revealed she’s sick of double standards which mean people applaud Magic Mike but criticise the Pussycat Dolls’ raunchy outfits and shows.

The Dolls recently reformed after almost a decade apart but their skimpy costumes and daring dance moves on shows such as The X Factor: Celebrity and Saturday Night Takeaway have triggered complaints to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

However, Roberts, 38, suggested there is bit of a double standard at play.

Read more: Pussycat Dolls postpone tour amid coronavirus pandemic

She told Hunger magazine: “Someone told me that within the stage of me as a woman that I shouldn’t be sexy and I’m like ‘f*** off’.

Magic Mike comes on and everyone loves it but women do it and we’re called prostitutes.”

The singer said she wants to “embrace” the fact that she’s a woman and getting to reunite with her group.

“We have nothing to prove, we just want to go out there and have some fun again - I want to be sexy when I’m like 90!” she said.

Read more: Watch The Pussycat Dolls raunchy comeback video

Roberts’ band members Kimberly Wyatt and Nicole Scherzinger have also recently spoken out about the backlash over their outfits and routines.

Speaking on The Morning Show, Wyatt said she was more than happy for her daughters, who are five and two, to watch the Dolls perform, saying the group spread a “really positive message”.

Scherzinger addressed the criticism on Australian programme The Project when she was asked about the Dolls’ comeback performance on The X Factor: Celebrity last year, which led to more than 400 complaints to Ofcom.

Photo: nicolescherzinger
Photo: nicolescherzinger

She said they had no idea the risque black pants and bodysuits would cause such a fuss.

“Those costumes, we put that together in three days and those outfits were a bit provocative,” said the 41-year-old. “But we're women now.”

The Pussycat Dolls - comprised of Scherzinger, Wyatt, Roberts, Carmit Bachar and Jessica Sutta – came to prominence in 2005 with Don’t Cha and went on to have success with tracks such as Buttons and When I Grow Up before deciding to part company in 2010.

In November 2019 they announced that they were getting back together.