Nicola Roberts wants a ginger boyfriend.

Nicola Roberts

Nicola Roberts

The red-haired former Girls Aloud singer hopes her future children inherit her distinctive locks and admits her ideal man will "contribute to that cause".

She said: "[My type is] somebody kind, thoughtful and who thinks about other people's feelings.

"One day I'd like ginger babies so I want to meet someone who can contribute to that cause."

The 31-year-old pop star - who split from Charlie Fennell in 2014 after six years together - admitted she has missed out on happiness in the past because she didn't admit her feelings until it was too late.

Asked her biggest regret, she said: "Not telling someone the way I felt about them before it was too late. I'll leave it there."

And Nicola has also been "mistreated" by men but has done her best to move on and not dwell on things.

She said: "I can think of some men who owe me an apology. I've been mistreated in the past, but some people would rather run than face apologising to someone. You have to move on."

The 'Sound of the Underground' singer doesn't plan ahead too much as she prefers to "go with the flow" as there is no way to predict the future.

She said: "You never know what's around the corner. My whole life so far has just happened and you have to go with the flow, love life and be grateful."

Having shot to fame after Girls Aloud were put together on TV show 'Popstars: The Rivals', Nicola admits it is "not ideal" having her formative years in the public domain.

She told Grazia magazine: "Everything I've done since I was 16 is on the internet, including partying and experimenting with alcohol, clothes, hair and make-up. It's not ideal."