X-Factor's Janet Devlin reveals battle with alcohol and suicide attempt when she was a teenager in Sheffield

Singing star Janet Devlin has revealed she battled with alcoholism while she was still a teenager living in Sheffield, after appearing on The X Factor.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Northern Ireland-born songbird was just 16 when she auditioned for the ITV show, eventually coming fifth in the talent competition.

She told ITV's Loose Women: "I moved to Sheffield on my own and I was 17 and in those days life was so hectic and it was amazing but at the end of the day, when you get home you're on your own in an apartment in a different country where you know nobody, so it was very isolating and when I was in social situations I did turn to alcohol to give me a bitof a confidence boost.

Read More
Pop star Janet Devlin to play online gigs for fans stuck at home
Janet Devlin, who has spoken out about her battle with alcoholismJanet Devlin, who has spoken out about her battle with alcoholism
Janet Devlin, who has spoken out about her battle with alcoholism
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I would definitely say at about 18 I had a definite problem."Asked how she knew she had an issue, Devlin said it was because of the "failed suicide attempt", adding: "I don't know the exact moment when it got really dark but I pretty much just woke up one day with a bottle of gin under my pillow.

"Every day before going to work I would have to get drunk, at night I would have to get drunk, it really quickly went very downhill for me."Asked if her family knew about her attempt to take her own life, Janet Devlin said: "My family didn't know at the time and most of them werenever planned."My poor mum was always just waiting on that phone call to find out when I finally was gone.”

A message from the Editor: Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to The Star website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website. Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor