Amanda Holden: “I was craving frozen margaritas on my deathbed!”

Amanda Holden has come a long way since the revelation she nearly died giving birth to her second daughter, Hollie, eight months ago.

But the ultimate advocate of keeping calm and carrying on, Amanda was on stage with her newborn just two weeks after her near death experience.

[Related article: Amanda Holden wears white Azagury to the Glamour Awards]

And when we meet her, you’d never guess the drama that occurred just a few short months ago. The 41-year-old reality TV show judge and actress is light-hearted, chatty and self-deprecating. This is a woman who’s overcome many obstacles – but has come out stronger the other side.

“Chris [Hughes, Amanda’s husband] was told to basically prepare for the worst,” the mum of two tells us.

“Lexi [6, Amanda’s first daughter] knew that Mummy had had the baby and that Mummy was a bit poorly, but that’s all…” In the end, it turned out that Amanda met baby Hollie at the same time as all the rest of her family, an experience which she describes as “amazing.”

And she’d be easily forgiven for being put off for life.

“It doesn’t, actually. Because you look at that picture [of Hollie] and you go ‘I would’ve done it, I would do it’ but Chris would literally divorce me!” she says.

“He would go ‘You can go and have them with somebody else, but not with me!’”

[Related article: Diary of a Fashion Insider: Britain's Got Talent]

But for now at least, Amanda is quite content with her and 39-year-old Chris’ little family.

“I’m 41. And even though I feel young and I’ve got loads of energy, I feel like this is my destiny, and it was so near the knuckle having Hollie, that I couldn’t put my family, certainly not Chris or Lexi, through any of it again…” she explains.

The mum of two also tells us she doesn’t enjoy being the diligent mum-to-be and ditching the alcohol, either.

“I know it’s not the right thing to say, but I was craving frozen margaritas when I was on my deathbed, literally. Chris would be like ‘No, Mandy..’” she laughs.

[Related article: Britain’s Got Talent: omg! interview Pudsey the dog]

And when Lexi is all grown up, does she think she’ll tell her about the trauma of her little sister’s Hollie’s birth?

“Yeah, because I’m writing my autobiography… so it will be very honest and I would probably have to put Chris’ story in… because obviously I was clueless to most of it,” she said.

According to the proud mum, big sis Lexi is as smitten with little Hollie as her parents, even waking up in the middle of the night to change her dirty nappy!

“Later on, when Lexi’s gone, I check the nappy and I think ‘Oh God is there any remnants in there?’ No, spotless, [she] did the baby, she does it all the time.”

Amanda also thinks it can only be a good thing that Lexi now has to fight for her parents attention, after enjoying being an only child for six years.

“Her teacher’s said she’s much more confident, and I think it is because of her sister,” Amanda says.

And despite being busy filming Britain’s Got Talent and Jesus Christ Superstar throughout the year, Amanda says she still has time to spend time with her family.

“When I work, even though it looks like I work all the time, Britain’s Got Talent literally takes 10 days of my life up, so I’ve probably worked in total this year, six weeks, which is so joyful because it means I’m either really on or really off,” she explains.

[Related article: Britain's Got Talent Winner Pudsey Lands Hollywood Role!]

And what’s the secret to her successful four year marriage? A glass of wine (for her) and a cup of tea (for him), it seems!

“Chris comes home to a meal on the table and we will [all] sit down and have dinner.”

“Then then the kids go and have a bath, and me and Chris will sit down, me normally with a glass of wine, him with a cup of tea and chat about the day.”

Sounds ideal to us!

So what’s next for the star?

She’s currently promoting the Pampers and UNIEF Picture A Better Future Campaign, in which a tetanus injection will be donated for every packet of special Pampers sold or every picture uploaded onto the Picture A Better Future Facebook page.

“I just think it’s a lovely thing, when you’re putting your baby’s nappy on, that your baby has saved another baby,” she says.

[Related article: Britain's Got Talent Judge Amanda Holden Set To Renew Vows]

And, of course, Britain’s Got Talent auditions start soon. Is she excited?

“Oh my God, always! I cannot wait. [Last year] was up there with the Susan Boyle year and I think it’s a show that’s going to run and run and run, and we’re lucky we’ve got Simon on our show and - I hate to say it - but while he’s there, it will live on.”

Amanda Holden is supporting the Pampers ‘Picture a Better Future’ campaign. For each specially marked Pampers pack you buy or photo of you and your baby uploaded onto facebook.com/PampersUKIre, Pampers will donate the cost of an additional vaccine to support UNICEF in the fight against MNT.