Texas star Sharleen Spiteri: 10 confessions of a pop star

As Starleen Spiteri gears up for her band’s A Night With Texas tour, she tells us her 10 confessions.

Worst thing I did in my childhood

When I was wee, I cut my little sister’s hair, and it went horribly wrong and her fringe was shorn right down to the roots.

My mum wasn’t very happy. She chased me round the house and I smashed my head into the corner of the unit. That’s how I ended up with six stitches across my forehead you can still see the scar if you look closely.

Most embarrassing thing I ever did on stage

I remember Texas’ second big gig we were opening for Fleetwood Mac. On Christine McVie’s keyboard was a sticker reading, “Edinburgh” on it and it made me wonder how daft you’d have to be to forget which city you’re in.

Fast forward to a Texas show in Nice, in France, a couple of years later. It was all going so well until I said: “Good evening, Lyon!” which we’d played the night before. We were met with a chorus of jeering. Not clever.

Something I really can’t do no matter how hard I try

Go on a diet. I just can’t. I say to myself you’re not going to eat any chocolatelike Tunnock’s Teacakes, for instance! And then I think: “Ach, I’ll just have one tonight”.

I was like everyone else at New Year I was going to stop eating junk, start exercising and so on. I tried running, but I was bored out my mind. Five miles is just torture.

Don’t get me wrong, if you were to tell me there’s a Prada shop at the end of that five miles then I’d be first in that particular race.

My guilty music pleasure

I’m going to be a right pain I don’t believe in guilty music pleasures.

If there’s something to love then I just love it, there’s no need to feel guilty about it even if some people think it’s cheesy or tacky.

I am proud to say I love certain tracks and will sing my heart out to them on the dance floor.

Any one in particular? [Singing] Now I’ve had the time of my life…

Food I can’t live without

Oh, everything I can get my hands on. If there’s one thing I had to pick out it would be Tunnock’s Teacakes.

There’s a shop in London that sells them but just one costs the same as a packet elsewhere the owner should wear a mask!

They’re worth it though. I’ve got a system. I have to eat it in sections. I have to bite a hole in the chocolate, lick out the marshmallow then eat the base. The key is keeping the chocolate in one piece. You cannae beat it.

Secret of a national treasure

Shakespearean actor, star of Harry Potter and Love Actually, Alan Rickman has a lovely voice! I phoned him up to ask if he wanted to duet on our new single, Start A Family.

At first he just laughed as he thought I was joking, but I was deadly serious. Not a lot of people know he’s got wonderful, dulcet tones.

He sings for a bit on the song but we’ve also got a bit of his lovely speaking voice on there too. I absolutely love Alan he’s a wonderful, cool man and a real friend.

Last time I lost my temper

You know how some people get less angry as they get older? Well that’s not me. (Sharleen was involved in an angry spat with hotel heiress Paris Hilton a few years ago.)

I don’t have the patience for idiots. I’m too busy, I’ve got the school run, I’ve got to go and get the kids I can’t listen to your rubbish.

People might think I’ve lost my temper because I’m quite mouthy but you’ll know I’m really angry when I start to go very, very quiet.

There was an incident before Christmas. My pal and I were out in London and someone overheard us talking.

This stranger thought they were funny by saying: “Och aye, the noo” in a comedy Scottish accent. I told them they were really hilarious but they kept at it. My pal defused the situation before I swung for them!

Our band bust ups

We have them all the time, of course we do! Texas is a joint venture and disagreements are part of that.

Sometimes you fight your corner and fall out. Then you find you were wrong…and the rest of the band laugh at you and slag you off for it!

We were even arguing about the running order of Texas 25. But that’s because we still care, which is a good sign, I think.

My crush

It’s funny how, as we get older, we don’t talk about love.

If you say to your boyfriend or husband: “Do you still love me?” and they go: “What are you asking me that for?” But sometimes it’s nice to just say the words.

I saw One Direction pulling up in a limo once. I wanted to throw myself over the bonnet and shout: “Harry, take me, I’m yours!”

Och, but my daughter would have been mortified!

My last good deed

The cable telly man was just outside in the street there and I asked him if he needed in my garden.

He said: “No, but I take milk and two sugars!” so I just made him a cuppa there. I’m sure that counts, doesn’t it?

It’s been 25 years since Texas shot to fame and the Scottish band are marking it in style. Texas 25, an album of greatest hits, is released on Monday, February 16.