Award-winning singer Rita Ora has been gracing television screens across the UK as a celebrity judge on ITV’s The Masked Singer.
Providing her take on who she believes is behind the elaborate costumes on Saturday nights, the star has become a fan favourite amongst viewers for her solid opinions, engaging personality and undeniably gorgeous looks.
But when previously asked about where her confidence and inspiration derived from, Rita was quick to pay homage to her lookalike mother Vera Sahatçiu.
The Body On Me singer said: “My mum inspires me every single day. I’m so proud of her. She’s the ultimate real role model.”
Daily Star has taken a look inside the life of Rita’s mother and their heartwarming relationship.
Who is Vera Sahatçiu?
(Image: Getty Images for Pandora)
Rita’s mother Vera, 56, is a psychiatrist who currently lives and works in London, England.
Vera was born in Albania but previously lived in Kosovo where her famous daughter was born.
The psychiatrist is also married to her husband Besnik and has three children altogether – Elena, Rita, and Don.
Due to political reasons, Vera and her family fled from Kosovo due to the persecution of Albanians initiated with the disintegration of Yugoslavia.
(Image: ritaora/Instagram)
The family relocated to London in 1991 and settled in Notting Hill. Rita was only one year old at the time.
In March 2020, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Vera made a return to the NHS frontline to support A&E doctors.
Speaking about helping out in an Instagram video at the time, the brave mother-of-three explained: “My name is Vera Ora and I’m a psychiatrist.
“I’m going back to work tomorrow – I work with mental health patients, however, due to the pressure on the NHS I will be asked to go to the front line to help with A&E and other departments.
“It’s a very dangerous time and not everyone is being safe and staying at home and we are becoming overwhelmed with patients coming through and putting everyone at risk.”
Gushing over heroic mum
(Image: CEN/Vera Ora)
Rita showed fans just how close she is to her mother after she expressed that she was impressed with her mother’s ability to roll up her sleeves to help those in need during the pandemic.
While appearing on Extra via video link, The Masked singer panellist said: “People are coming in sick more than ever, especially the elderly. My mother’s been pushed forward.
“She’s actually a psychiatrist and so for her to have to rush to the emergency is not obviously her day-to-day thing, so as you can see they are that desperate to have all different types of doctors helping from all over.’
The star added: “She feels obliged as a doctor to go and lend her services… I check in and say, “How are you feeling? Please keep your distance…”
“It’s scary, but for her she believes in God and faith… She really is a hero for me.”
Breast cancer scare
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Ann)
At the age of 39, the NHS health worker faced turmoil when she underwent a mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005.
Sharing her experience with Style Magazine in 2019, Vera expressed that the fear of cancer is still a dark cloud in her family and has caused daughter Rita to have panic attacks.
Speaking about the ordeal she previously said: “The whole family is still left with the anxieties that cancer ingrains. Rita gets anxious and sometimes has panic attacks.”
She added: “(At the time) Rita rebelled a little, bunking off school for a couple of weeks. It was her mental escape.”
Swimwear range
(Image: CEN/Vera)
Despite her previous ordeal with cancer, in February 2019 Vera became the face of a post-mastectomy swimwear range.
The fashionable collection which was designed by Melissa Odabash for the brand Amoena was also launched by breast cancer charity Future Dreams.
Talking candidly to Hello! about why she chose to be the face of the campaign, Vera expressed: “It was difficult to hide my (mastectomy) scars on holiday.
“I felt self-conscious and would try to cover up or sew fabric into my swimming tops. But then I discovered the Amoena range, which is designed especially for women like me.
She added: “It’s so soft and figure-flattering and makes you feel wonderful.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
