Melinda Messenger 'sold everything' in downscale to train as psychotherapist

Melinda Messenger has no regrets about stepping away from the limelight to work as a psychotherapist as she's said the money and material things that came with celebrity "weren't meaningful" to her.

The 49-year-old decided to train in the profession 10 years ago by enrolling in a five-year course, meaning she had to turn down work offers to pursue her dream.

The former glamour model appeared on Loose Women via video call on Monday to discuss the big life decision as she shared: "I'd reached a point where I recognised that earning great money, having fabulous, expensive things was really not meaningful to me in anyway and I wanted to be of service. So that desire to be of service just overpowered everything else and I thought 'what is it that I actually need?'."

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Messenger ultimately shunned the financial benefits of a high profile career to downsize her life.

"I actually downscaled, sold everything and just thought as long as I've got the minimum I need to get by on, I can start this journey. And then ultimately as everything does it just becomes self-rewarding because the pleasure I get is through the roof because it has so much meaning for me and in turn it does provide.

"We're talking totally different scales but for me what I gain in the meaning and purpose of the work that I do far outweighs any financial trappings," she went on.

Last December, Messenger told the Daily Mail she was working in a private clinic as well as for a homeless charity.

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In addition to her her modelling career, Messenger also enjoyed presenting gigs on shows such as Live from Studio Five and Cowboy Builders. She had a memorable stint on gameshow Fort Boyard as an assistant to Leslie Grantham's Boyard character.

Messenger is also mother to three children from her married to ex-husband Wayne Roberts.