Rochelle Humes says she tried to ‘scrub her skin off’ after experiencing racism as a child

Rochelle Humes recalled how she “tried to scrub [her] skin off” until her “legs were red” after facing racism as a young girl.

The former Saturdays singer, 31, opened up about her experiences of racism alongside husband Marvin Humes in a trailer for Channel 4’s upcoming documentary The Talk.

The programme, which will air on Tuesday evening, sees celebrities discuss how they have been affected by racism in the UK.

“My legs were red because I’d tried to scrub my skin off,” Rochelle explained as she wiped away tears, adding: “I’m not upset for me, I’m just upset because I think, ‘My little girl is the same age.’

“I just don’t know how I would handle that.”

Sharing the clip on Instagram, the presenter, who has two young daughters with JLS star Marvin, said that talking part in the documentary had been “overwhelming” as it reminded her that racism is still “normalised and accepted.”

“Opening up about racism and my challenges was overwhelming as it reminded me that we still live in a world where racism is normalised and accepted,” she wrote.

The singer and presenter said she does not want her children to have a similar experience (Channel 4)

“I don’t want my children growing up in a world where they think that their heritage and skin colour could be judged negatively.

“That’s why I was so emotional, not for me, but for every child or person who has been made to feel like they were not enough because of their skin colour.

“So I allowed myself to open up and be vulnerable about this topic publicly to help support others through shared experience and also educate people on the lasting impact racism and discrimination can have on people.”

The Talk airs Tuesday, August 4 on Channel 4 at 10pm