SHE says she has had the worst year of her life but is now happy being single and feels calm and strong about the future.

LOOSE Women star Andrea McLean can only smile wryly as she looks down at the magic wand in her hand.

She’s about to take on the panto role of Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, much to her children’s delight.

But just 11 months ago she would have given anything to wave that wand and magic away her troubles and anguish.

Andrea, 43, could be forgiven for wanting to hibernate this Christmas instead of making a pantomime debut.

It was on Boxing Day last year that her whole world collapsed when she split from her husband of three years Steve Toms.

“I’ve had the worst year of my life – truly, truly horrible,” she says quietly.

“It’s been such a rollercoaster of emotions and at times I didn’t know how I’d cope.”

But now twice-divorced Andrea is leaving the heartache behind and facing 2013 as a happily-single mum with fresh dreams and ­challenges – not least her new role as the Record’s homes columnist.

“I’m feeling good again – very calm, very ­positive,” she says.

“In the past all I wanted was to be one part of a couple. I’ve only ever slept with two men – and I married them both – and when my second marriage collapsed I was devastated that I hadn’t been able to make it work.

“Now I am single for the first time in my life and yet I feel really strong.

“Dating? No – I’ve not been interested in the slightest. I suppose I’ve been rather put off. Dating is not even on the radar at the moment. I’ve just been keeping to myself. I haven’t gone out except to work-related functions I had to go to.

“Other than that I’m just at home with my kids and my parents.

“Everything is so different this Christmas – but I’m not going to dwell on the past.

“It’s onwards and upwards and a time to be really positive.”

Andrea’s new-found confidence is ­remarkable after her year of hell.

The Record's report on Andrea's break-up

She and builder Steve had been growing apart for months and she says she “fought with every ounce of my being” to save their relationship. But things came to a head last Christmas and they parted on Boxing Day.

The following month Andrea’s autobiography, Confessions Of A Good Girl, was published, with no mention of her marital problems.

Fearing she would be branded a liar or a hypocrite she decided to reveal the split – only to be accused of “cashing in” to promote sales.

In February, she had an emotional meltdown moments before going live on air on Loose Women and three months later was left sick with fear by an obsessed stalker who sent her sex texts.

Her parents moved south to care for her and in June she had to sell the marital home she had lovingly restored and move into a smaller house with children Amy, six, and Finlay, 11.

Andrea says: “When Steve and I split my parents dropped everything and came down. Since then they have sold their house in Chester and bought one in the same village as my new home.

“My sister – who lives in London – had a baby this year so it means they can see a lot more of them too.

“Steve and I get on fine, for Amy’s sake. She was six last week so the two of us were together to give her a little party – all reunited and it was good.

“The kids are obviously my top priority, and I only agreed to do my first panto because it’s at Redhill in Surrey, close to home, and I’ll be back every night.

“It’s hilarious though – I thought I would just be twinkling on, waving a wand and saying ‘You shall go to the ball’ – but I’ve got all this terrifying singing and dancing.

“Amy is thrilled because it’s going to be sparkly and wonderful but Finlay is just wetting his pants laughing at how much of a fool I’m going to make of myself. I’m doing a lot of silent screaming!

“I’ve got two songs and a Gangnam Style dance and I’m a rubbish singer.

“It’s terrifying, but also an amazing ­opportunity, and once I’ve got stuck in I’m sure it will be fantastic fun.”

Andrea, whose column starts tomorrow, says DIY has been her salvation during her stressful year.

Andrea feels that 2013 will be a better year for her

The former GMTV weather girl hosted home makeover show Our House in 2003 but she has been a handywoman since her student days and recently studied garden design at college.

She says: “I’ve always been interested in DIY and home renovation – even from my first student flat. I’ve always left places better than when I moved in.

“I’m not an interior designer – I’m a normal working mum who wants her house to look good and doesn’t need a man to do it for her.

“I think I’ve got a good eye and I’ve certainly got lots of experience. I just want to help people make their homes feel comfier, cosier and brighter.

“I’ve had my share of DIY disaster too.

“The worst was slicing my finger open when I re-tiled the bathroom. I got blood in the grouting but decided to leave it as a badge of honour.

“I recently had a porch built. So I bought myself a rocking chair and a load of other furniture from charity shops and my dad bought me a proper big boy’s sander. I sanded it all down, re-primed it and repainted it, and it looks brilliant – I’m really proud of it.

“I find DIY really therapeutic. I lose myself in it, because you can concentrate on the task and not think about all the other stuff going on in your life.

“I’ve done all the work on my new house. Once when the kids were away at their dads’ I spent my Saturday night putting bathroom shelves up.

“I had my spirit level, the drill, the screwdriver and I’d got myself a couple of tinnies of pina colada from M&S and I was swigging away in my element.

“I put up two new towel holders, two shelves, two toothbrush holders. That was a proper night in.”

She sounds a dream girl for one of the millions of DIY-phobic men out there. Andrea laughs: “But I’ve always been like this... even with a builder husband. And as I say, I’m not even thinking about men right now.

“Next year is going to be MY year. It may be 2013 but I’ve decided to make 13 my lucky number. It’s going to be really great – I’m going to turn it around.”