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Are you ready? Let's dance鈥� because Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts is on a mission to get fans grooving out of lockdown slump.

One-fifth of the newly reformed group, the singer and dancer was hugely excited when the band announced their long-awaited comeback at the end of 2019.

But it didn't last long, with the reunion gigs planned having to be pushed back to later this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

So as the UK navigates its way through life in lockdown, Roberts is doing her bit to keep fans - and herself - in good spirits, teaching some of the famous Pussycat Dolls routines on social media.

For every bored celebrity posting toe-curling content during COVID-19 isolation (yes, we're looking at you, Imagine singers) there are stars who really are providing some much-needed cheer.

Roberts is one of them. Her world is #asholation - and followers from all over the planet are taking part, posting their own videos of routines to new single React and other hits.

The star says as a single woman living on her own in a flat in London, she started the tutorials and videos as a way to keep active.

"Being a single lady at home, that's what I was trying to do because being active helps my physical side and also helps my mental health," she tells Sky News.

"With all the uncertainty that's going on and in the current climate we're existing in, it's really important to check in with the mental health side of things.

"For me, dancing, listening to music, being active, are all things that I do to feel good in my body and soul. So I was like, what can I do?"

Roberts turned to Instagram Live, which allows users to stream live straight to fans.

"I saw people popping up on Live and I've never really done Live before," she says. "But on a Friday night if you're at home… normally I'd be out with my friends or maybe socialising a bit more. I thought, why not throw together a little dance class, get people moving and grooving.

"The intention behind it is just to have some fun, just get your body moving and get active."

Roberts says her time at home has also allowed her to get to grips with video-sharing site TikTok, which has quickly built up a large and young user base with clips featuring dancing challenges and lip-syncing.

Despite only being 38, it's fair to say she might be considered one of the site's older users.

"I don't want to say I was anti-TikTok, I just didn't understand it," she laughs. "And with the time on my hands, I was like, okay, I'm going to sit down and try to figure this out.

"Well, it's been really fun for me because I get to learn all these fun little dance challenges and entertain myself, and hopefully, you know, people are enjoying it.

"They're either thinking I'm having a great time or I'm on the borderline of going to cuckoo land, I'm not sure.

"It was like a weird Tetris game when I first looked at the app. I was like, I just don't understand how you do it, how it works.

"But then when you dive into it, it's really… for me at least, being by myself, it keeps my mind stimulated because you're learning something.

"These are just little ways that I'm entertaining myself in the current climate."

How to protect your mental health during lockdown

Roberts says she is grateful to still be working, as a presenter for Heart radio, but says she realises there are many people struggling to deal with the pandemic and how quickly life in the UK, across the world, has changed.

"Everybody is being impacted differently through this virus and [some] people are at home with their kids and some of my friends that have children are like, I don't have any time on my hands," she says.

"But for me, it's about making sure I do stuff with my time that stimulates my mind or keeps me moving. I'm just trying to keep myself busy. I've been cooking a lot more than I ever have - I didn't really think I could cook until now.

"With the dance challenges, at first I was like, I don't know about this TikTok stuff. And then I saw Justin and Hailey Bieber post the same kind of dance and I was like, okay, they're cool. Maybe I'm on to something.

"But seriously, I think it's kind of bringing people together right now. With everything that's going on, that's a good thing.

"These are challenging times but I think there is some good that's coming out, where we really are connecting with ourselves and others in different ways."

The Pussycat Dolls dates have been put back to October, meaning fans who have waited 10 years since their split now have to hold on for a little longer.

"I know and we were so excited about doing our tour," says Roberts. "But under the circumstances, what matters most is everybody being safe and healthy. So we knew that they had to be postponed and we're just grateful that we actually have locked-in dates for October."

With all this time indoors, there'll be no excuse for not practising enough.

"Yeah, we've got to come back strong now with having such a break," Roberts says. "I've actually been singing the songs in my flat too, going over it. And then, teaching my little Asholation classes on Fridays, some of the iconic dance routines that people may know from our music videos or if they've seen us on stage.

"I think what's so cool about us reuniting now is that we didn't have social media back then. Now there's such a direct access with fans, you get to see them immediately interacting with what you're doing or what's going on in life."

Box-sets to get you through isolation and social distancing

Since the Pussycat Dolls's split in 2010, they haven't been able to shake reports of tensions between the then six members - Roberts, Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, Carmit Bachar, Jessica Sutta and Melody Thornton, who is not joining them for the reunion - with rumours of resentment among some over Scherzinger's leading role.

But the group have dismissed this in interviews since announcing their comeback, and Roberts says they are all friendly and "keeping in touch and checking in with each other" during isolation.

It's a well-worn line for bands who have reformed after years apart, but it seems being older and wiser has done them all good.

"I'm a woman now," says Roberts. "I know myself more and I'm more present within the experience of getting back together. I kind of just enjoy it a bit more.

"Knowing yourself as a woman, what feels good on my body and celebrating the fact that we are all women and we can be any age and feel sassy and fierce.

"I think it's important for everybody out there, but especially women, that sexiness doesn't have to be about age. Yeah, I'm enjoying a bit of that."

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When the Dolls revealed their comeback with a performance on X Factor, Ofcom received more than 400 complaints about the risque nature of the dance routine and costumes.

Roberts laughs. "We had not been together in 10 years and we put that show together, that performance, in like three or four days. It was something [where] we really wanted to go out there and put our hearts on that floor and just be like, 'we're back!', you know, in a big way.

"The brand of Pussycat Dolls has always been standing in your power. And we are up there really dancing and singing. We're not just in costumes that say, 'hey, come look, we're sexy'.

"There's an intention behind it, an intention to stand there powerful and dance and sing and celebrate and hopefully inspire others to feel their sassiness inside.

"You're not going to please everyone. But I think our real fans really, really felt what we were trying to bring."

The subject of J-Lo and her incredible 50-year-old abs comes up.

"Yes! Fifty years old and looking fierce. I heard something too about Dolly Parton wanting to do Playboy for her 75th birthday. Good old Dolly."

Maybe Dolly could learn a few Pussycat Dolls moves?

"I don't know if I need to teach her. She's a strong, fierce senorita, paving the way for sure. She already is a Pussycat Doll."

Want to dance like a Pussycat Doll? This week, Ashley is teaching the moves for When I Grow Up live on TikTok at 6pm on Friday. Find her on TikTok and Instagram at @iamashleyroberts