Wham! star Helen ‘Pepsi’ DeMacque-Crockett has opened up about the ‘shame’ she felt after suffering a ‘traumatic’ miscarriage.

The performer, 66, found fame in the 1980s as a backing singer for Wham! and as part of the duo Pepsi & Shirlie. 

But in a candid new interview, Pepsi has spoken about her life away from the microphone and her quest to have children with her husband James Crockett – who she married in 2002. 

Speaking to the Daily Mirror on Tuesday, Pepsi revealed she has not been able to have children after a number of a miscarriages. 

She and James considered IVF but ultimately decided against it, a decision she is glad she made as she thought the process would have been too hard for them and they went on to have a fulfilled life travelling. 

‘It was really initially difficult because it was like, seeing another woman with a baby in their arms, I was like, I’m never, ever, ever, gonna have that,’ she said.

Wham! star Helen ‘Pepsi’ DeMacque-Crockett opened up to the Daily Mirror on Tuesday about the ‘shame’ she felt after suffering a ‘traumatic’ miscarriage

The performer, 66, found fame in the 1980s as a backing singer for Wham! and as part of the duo Pepsi & Shirlie (Seen in 1987)

The couple live in and own a charter sailing business in St Lucia, where Pepsi’s parents emigrated to the UK from before she was born. 

Speaking about her fertility battle, Pepsi said: ‘I had quite a few miscarriages and one of the big moments in my life was when I was in New Zealand and I had a miscarriage that was just to traumatic – and it was just quite extraordinary because there was an element of shame connected to it.

Pepsi went on to share that through connecting with others who had gone through the same thing she was able to let go of the shame and talk through her feelings.

After considering IVF, Pepsi and James decided against and had an honest conversation about what their life could look like without children.

‘We made a decision, it was like right it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen again,’ she said. 

‘Why don’t we just live our life? Why don’t we just just use the freedom of not having children, not bound by anywhere and really create a life of value?’ 

As well as performing as one part of Pepsi & Shirlie, Helen collaborated with Mike Oldfield in the late 1990s, performing on his Then & Now tour and at the premiere of Tubular Bells III.

She also dabbled with acting, appearing in the musical Hair at London’s Old Vic Theatre in 1993.

But in a candid new interview, Pepsi has spoken about her life away from the microphone and her quest to have children with her husband James Crockett

Speaking to the Daily Mirror on Tuesday, Pepsi revealed she has not been able to have children after a number of a miscarriages

Her and James considered IVF but ultimately decided against it, a decision she is glad she made as she thought the process would have been too hard for them and they went on to have a fulfilled life travelling 

As well as performing as one part of Pepsi & Shirlie (Seen in 1985), Helen collaborated with Mike Oldfield in the late 1990s, performing on his Then & Now tour and at the premiere of Tubular Bells III

Pepsi then quit the showbiz scene and moved to New Zealand where she worked in a gift shop in Lambton Quay – before later settling in the Caribbean. 

In addition to running tours for holidaymakers, Pepsi and James’s charter sailing company offers a summer training programme for students from the National Skills Development Centre, which helps get young people into work and teaches them life skills.

‘My life in the Caribbean is very different to London life but just as exciting,’ she said previously. 

‘I’m discovering and enjoying new ways of being. Loving sunsets, food, people, landscapes and lots more.’

On Twitter she also describes herself as a singer, actress, writer, traveller ‘and beyond’ – and her Instagram bio promises a debut novel in 2024.

It is understood that Helen practices Buddhism.

In 2022, Pepsi’s former singing partner and friend Shirlie Kemp, who married Spandau Ballet star Martin, detailed reuniting with her and the concept of race in their friendship (Seen in 1987)

Pepsi is seen with Shirlie and Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley celebrating the 40th anniversary of Last Christmas 

In 2022, Pepsi’s former singing partner and friend Shirlie Kemp, 62, who married Spandau Ballet star Martin, detailed reuniting with her and the concept of race in their friendship.

Speaking on Loose Women, Shirlie opened up about working with Pepsi again on their book It’s All in Black and White.

Explaining the title, she said: ‘Whenever I was younger, people would always say “You always see things in black and white” that meant I could see things clearly or I didn’t. 

‘But then, a black girl and a white girl, you can take it that way. It never meant anything to us, we were just friends.’