In 2001, Steps disbanded when Richards and fellow member Ian "H" Watkins left to form their duo, H & Claire. But their duo career didn’t last long and dissolved the following year.
Richards stayed out of the spotlight for a few years afterward.
In 2008, she appeared on a reality TV show, revealing she had suffered from depression and an eating disorder.
I think I convinced myself for a long time that I was fine but I wasn't very happy at all I just I wouldn't go out and didn't go anywhere.
Claire Richards gained massive weight after drastic weight loss. (Source: Facebook)
In a 2018 interview with Closer, the singer admitted, “I was always small, but I got big after Steps split up. That’s when I struggled. I overate, and that was why I became the size I was.”
At her heaviest, Richards weighed around 231 pounds.
