Shout!Here comes Lulu!

LULU’S been belting out hits for five decades and “reinvented” herself to stay in the spotlight.

Her first single, ‘Shout!’, reached the top 10 in Britain in 1964, when she was 16, and she’s continued to enjoy success as a solo artist and through collaborations with Take That and Boyzone’s Ronan Keating.

But there’s one person who can stop the singer in her tracks — her three-year-old granddaughter, Isabella.

“She’s the only person who can tell me not to sing,” she says.

“She says, ‘Nana, Nana, you’re not to sing. I’m singing, listen to me’. It’s so sweet, she’s extremely bossy, rather like me, and I absolutely adore her. Being a grandmother is like a great gift, a wonderful bonus in life.”

Lulu’s far from the stereotype of a granny. At 64, she looks at least 10 years younger, has her honey-blonde hair in a flattering ’choppy’ cut, and is wearing black leggings and a skinny top, and a pair of black-framed glasses.

“I love the glasses — they’re so cool and I think they make me look more intelligent! The only problem is I constantly forget where I’ve put them,” she admits with a laugh.

“Ageing is tough, though,” she says. “In my head, I think I’m 30, so it shocks me when there’s an ache or a pain. I took myself for granted physically when I was younger — you think you’re invincible then — so although I’m incredibly agile, I can’t run any more. I did my knees in over the years.

“But I’m 100% healthy and I look after myself now. I haven’t had surgery, I just make sure I care for my skin. I do pilates and dance classes so I keep moving, that’s so important.”

She’s certainly kept moving throughout her life. The hugely successful entertainer has had 16 top-40 hits, received an OBE in 2000, and launched her own beauty and jewellery range.

Her personal life’s been more turbulent. Her two marriages — to Bee Gee Maurice Gibb, who died in 2003, and then to hairdresser John Frieda — ended in divorce. She had one son with Frieda, Jordan, now 35, who has two children, Isabella and Teddy, eight months.

“I was too young on both occasions when I got married, I wasn’t ready for marriage,” she says. “I wasn’t grown up enough or emotionally mature.

“I was lonely when I married Maurice, I was performing all the time and touring and far away from my family in Glasgow. I think he was lonely too and that’s why we found each other.

“With John, after 18 years, there was just a realisation that it was over. But they were both incredible, special men, so I chose well, and, of course, it was sad when the marriages ended.”

Her dedication to her demanding career, she admits, may not have helped.

“Maybe I gave too much to my work. I was never going to be a typical housewife. If I had my time again, I would know that you can get off the treadmill occasionally. For the first 25 years, I worked pretty much seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

“The trouble is when you are in this business, it’s insecure, and I felt insecure. You’re afraid to say ‘no’, and I only learnt how to say ‘no’ in my 40s.”

One of her regrets is that she didn’t have any more children.

“I didn’t realise time was running out for me to have children and the marriage also ran out of time as well.

“It was a huge sadness and I was very, very sad about that for a long time and I could hardly even discuss it at one stage. I would burst into tears if it was mentioned because it was something I just pushed away in to myself.

“But I’m not consumed by it, that was my fate and I realise I’m so lucky to have one child and my gorgeous grandchildren.!”

She’s currently single and is open-minded about love. “I’m not bothered!” she says.

“Actually, if I was really looking for someone, I think I’d find them. Of course, sometimes I feel lonely, but who doesn’t? I certainly don’t live in a state of fear that I’m going to die lonely.

“As far as I’m concerned, we come into this life alone, and go out on our own. In fact, I’m pretty philosophical about life and I’m happy in my own company — especially if I’m feeling grumpy. I can be a bit grumpy sometimes.”

Retirement is not an option, she declares and she’s continually reinventing herself . “I have a singing coach, go to throat specialists regularly to get checked over, so that I can keep going.

“To me, retire is a dirty word. Music really makes me happy, it’s who I am, and I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t do it.

“I just want to keep performing and enjoy my life.”