2001–2009: The Pussycat Dolls In 2001, Roberts relocated to Los Angeles, where she worked as a professional dancer in music videos for artists such as
Aaron Carter,
Josh Groban, and
Counting Crows. Through a friend, Roberts learned about
the Pussycat Dolls, a modern burlesque dance ensemble founded in 1995 by choreographer
Robin Antin. Though it was later revealed that the members are actually salaried employees of the label. In April 2005, they released their
first single, "
Don't Cha" (featuring
Busta Rhymes), which stands as the group's most successful single to date peaking at number two on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart and reaching the top in 15 other countries. They released their
self-titled debut album in September 2005. Subsequent singles "
Stickwitu and "
Buttons" also reached the top five on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart, with the former earning Roberts a
Grammy Award nomination for
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The album went on to sell seven million copies worldwide and established the group as viable in the music industry earning them a reputation among the century's few breakout successes. Roberts played a supporting role in the
dance film Make It Happen (2008), which starred
Mary Elizabeth Winstead and
Tessa Thompson. It was released in the UK on August 8, 2008, and went
direct-to-video in the US on December 9, grossing $10.15 million at the box office. The group's second and final studio album
Doll Domination was released in September 2008 and attained their highest position on the
Billboard 200 (number four). The album is considered a commercial disappointment selling less than 400,000 copies in the US which propelled the label to reissue the album with new songs. The album and its reissues spawned three top-twenty singles: "
When I Grow Up", "
I Hate This Part", and "
Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)". The latter sparked controversy and media attention as it credited Scherzinger as a featured artist, leading to internal friction within the group. The album was additionally promoted with their second headlining concert tour,
Doll Domination Tour which grossed over $14 million. The group would then confirm a hiatus towards the end of the year.
2010–2018: Breakthrough on British television In February 2010, Roberts announced her departure from the group in pursuit of acting and solo music. Her first solo release, a beat-driven cover of "
Theme from A Summer Place," was released in September through B-Sharp Records and Saguaro Road Rhythm (SRR), part of
Saguaro Road Records. In 2012, Roberts signed to
Cherry Red Records and released her debut single, "Yesterday" in November. The release coincided with her participation in the
twelfth series of the British reality show ''
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, finishing as the runner-up. Although initially hesitant to participate, Roberts’ appearance on the show elevated her profile in the UK, establishing her as one of the breakout stars of that series and leading to subsequent television and commercial opportunities. The following year Roberts signed up as judge on the eighth series of Dancing on Ice and became a presenter on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, regularly appearing throughout the show to help judge the Ant vs Dec challenges and various other competitions. Furthermore she made regular appearances on This Morning'' and became the face the online boutique, KEY Fashion. In early 2014, Roberts continued her role as a judge on
ninth and final series of
Dancing on Ice. Later she released her first fragrance Ashley by Ashley Roberts, and launched a Spring/Summer 2014 collection for KEY Fashion. In May, she released her debut album's lead single, "Clockwork", a power ballad with "soaring strings, pounding drums and ethereal chant." It failed to enter the top 100 in the
UK Singles Chart. The album titled,
Butterfly Effect, was released on the following month. Nick Duerden of
The Independent described it as a "airy and catchy"
pop album, incorporating themes of female empowerment reminiscent to
Katy Perry’s musical style. Released to little fanfare, it failed to reach the top 100 of the
UK Albums Chart. Roberts took over the hosting of the travel and lifestyle program
1st Look starting on January 9, 2016, on
NBC owned-and-operated stations nationwide. She hosted the show until 2018, and was nominated for Outstanding Travel and Adventure Program at the
45th Daytime Emmy Awards. In September 2018, she was paired with professional partner,
Pasha Kovalev for
series 16 of
Strictly Come Dancing. Her casting attracted criticism from viewers who felt her professional dance experience was unfair to the other contestants. Despite the controversy, Roberts would end up being the show's highest scored contestant and was announced as one of the runner-ups of the series.
2019–present: Professional expansion In June 2019, Roberts made her
West End debut, starring as Dawn, in the musical,
Waitress. Her
Stricly participation reignited her passion for live performances and was encouraged by the casting director, who was a fan of her appearances, to audition for the role. Roberts was drawn to the production’s humor, progressive story, and music. Sandra Howell of
London Theatre Direct complimented Roberts for capturing the character's anxious, awkward charm though noted her solo song was seen as vocally demanding, with stronger moments in ensemble pieces. That same month, she became the showbiz correspondent of the national
Heart Breakfast radio show, hosted by
Jamie Theakston and
Amanda Holden. On the finale of
The X Factor: Celebrity, Roberts joined the Pussycat Dolls reunion, performing a live medley of their previous singles and their new song "
React." British media regulator
Ofcom received over 400 complaints from viewers who criticized the band’s perceived provocative nature of their performance. "React" was released on February 2020 to moderate success. Their
reunion tour, a 45-date run originally scheduled for April 2020, was postponed multiple times due to the
COVID-19 pandemic and was ultimately cancelled in January 2022 amid a legal dispute between Scherzinger and Antin over the terms of the group’s business arrangements. That same year she participated in the second series of
Celebrity Gogglebox. In 2025, inspired by her Bali retreat and breathwork training, Roberts released her book,
Breathwork: Techniques for better mental, emotional and physical health. The guide shares 10 techniques to tackle anxiety, burnout, and sleep issues. In 2026, Roberts’ next projects include returning for the all-star edition ''
I'm a Celebrity...South Africa and appearing in the girl group movie Girl Group'', where she plays one of the members of the band Girlfriends alongside fellow performers from other girl groups. She also joined Scherzinger and Wyatt for a Pussycat Dolls reunion as a trio; they released comeback single "
Club Song" in March 2026, as well as being set to perform on a world tour throughout the year. == Filmography ==