FHM : BRITAIN'S FAVOURITE HOUSE WIFE

Royal Weddings, helpless baby animals and the tragic TV movie 'Who Will Love My Children?' are all sure to squeeze a tear from the eye of a lady. But it is the joyous news of her second placing in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women poll that has moistened Louise's peepers over lunch in a Liverpool bistro. "What? No way! I can't believe it." gasps the honey-locked beauty, who married Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp in the Caribbean last summer. "I'm shocked that I'm even in it, because I haven't been in the public eye lately."

Although Louise has been busy working on her third album, the news that she obviously hasn't been forgotten is a huge relief to the 24-year-old, who had been nervous about taking such a long break. "One part of me just wanted to give people a rest from seeing my face splattered everywhere - but then I worried I'd left it too long and that people would think I'm a has-been now I'm married! It's so nice to be voted for by FHM readers like this. Ha! I'm really chuffed."

ARE THE WIVES OF THE OTHER LIVERPOOL FOOTBALLERS JEALOUS OF YOUR FAME?

 I don't understand the popular image of a footballer's wife. They're not all Versacied-up bimbos, they're just normal. I go shopping a lot with Claire Ince, but I don't really involve myself in the football. Jamie just gets on with it.

POSH SPICE IS SAID TO HAVE ASKED DAVID BECKHAM IF HE HAD TO KEEP PLAYING NOW THEY DIDN'T NEED THE MONEY. WOULD JAMIE QUIT IF YOU ASKED?

Ha! Well, I would never ask him to stop, in the same way that he'd never ask me to give up what I do. But no, he'd never stop playing football.

HOW MUCH SAY WOULD YOU HAVE IF LIVERPOOL WERE TO SELL HIM TO MILAN?

I wouldn't try to stop him going. I work in London anyway, so flying back and forth to Milan wouldn't be that different to travelling up and down to Liverpool. He knows I'm not going to be waiting with his dinner ready when he gets home!

YOU MEAN YOU DON'T COOK FOR JAMIE AT ALL?

 I do when I'm home, but I'm never going to be like my mum who goes shopping and plans what she's going to cook every night of the week.

WHAT ABOUT LAUNDRY - DO YOU WASH HIS FILTHY SOCKS?

 No! We have a woman who comes around and does that for us. She keeps the flat in order.

ARNE'T YOU AFRAID SHE'LL SPILL THE BEANS ABOUT YOUR SORDID SECRETS IN THE PAPERS?

 No, she's 100 percent trustworthy. We don't have any sordid secrets, anyway.

IS IT TRUE THAT JAMIE'S MUM WANTS YOU TO GIVE UP SINGING AND BECOME A DUTIFUL HOUSEWIFE?

 Not at all. I'm really luky with my in-laws they're always on my side. If I get the hump with Jamie, they'll blame him. But they're dead proud of us. We stay with them a lot.

OLD HARRY REDKNAPP'S NOT QUITE THE LOOKER THAT HIS SON IS - DO YOU THANK THE LORD THAT JAMIE DIDN'T DRINK FROM THE UGLY CHALICE?

 No, but Jamie makes me be the goalie in the flat when we're playing with his rolled-up socks. Or sometimes he just throws them at me and goes, "Header!" But I'm rubbish - I'll stick to singing.

DOES JAMIE MAKE YOU SIT DOWN AND WATCH MATCH OF THE DAY IF HE SCORED EARLIER?

 He does watch it if it comes on, although I don't think he's that bothered, to be honest.

BUT SURLEY THERE MUST BE TIMES WHEN THERE'S A MATCH ON AND THE LADS COME ROUND WITH A CRATE OF KESTREL?

 Believe it or not, it's never really like that. The boys only really get together to play golf. They play a lot of golf.

JULIA ROBERTS SHOCKED THE NATION WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT THE NOTTING HILL PREMIERE WITH HAIRY ARMPITS. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON WOMEN AND FUZZ?

 I'm sorry, but I'm not having it. Julia Roberts should have shaved them. I'm strictly a bald girl.

WHAT - EVEN DOWNSTAIRS?

 No! Although I'll always do my bikini line.

YOUR DAD'S A BUILDER. DOES HE HAVE A BUILDER'S BUM - PERHAPS THE MALE EQUIVALENT OF HAIRY PITS?

 Well, he sort of does, if I'm honest. But it's not a horrible thing.

HOW MANY OF THE LYRICS FOR YOUR NEW ALBUM ARE YOU WRITING YOURSELF?

 A lot more than ever before. I'm older now and I feel more confident about taking what I've written to the people I'm working with. It's all about confidence. I used to write lyrics, then be to embarrassed to show anyone.

GIVE US AN EXAMPLE...

 Oh, I don't know. Sometimes like: "My feelings for you, are oh so true." Those are the things that make good songs, that's what flows.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE ONLY FAMOUS PERSON EVER TO COME OF LEWISHAM, APART FROM THE AIR-RAGE GYPSIES?

 Well, at least the gypsies put Lewisham on the map. Actually my grandad's quite famous in Lewisham. He runs a fruit'n'veg stall there.

REALLY? EVER HAD TO MIND THE STALL WHILE HE NIPPED OFF FOR A CHEEKY HALF?

 When I was young I used to spend whole days in the summer beside that stall. I can't remember what I used to be thinking about. Tea and doughnuts, most probably.

FINALLY, EVER HAD THE OCCASION TO SAY THE WORDS, "I'D LEAVE IT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE GOING IN THERE"?

 What? I'm not answering that. Just you drink your lemon tea, mate.