Former X Factor star Janet Devlin has told how she thought about killing herself during her time on the show – and claimed its bosses didn’t notice she was struggling with her mental health.
The songstress revealed the troubling news on Loose Women last month that she has battled alcohol addiction, which led to failed suicide attempts.
Janet, who came fifth in the 2011 series when she was aged 17, has now lifted the lid on her battle with mental health her in new biography My Confessional.
The Irish singer, 26, told in the book how her mind was clouded with suicidal thoughts when she wasn’t rehearsing or surrounded by other contestants.
And she has claimed that show bosses were only initially only concerned about how well she would perform.
Janet Devlin came fifth in the 2011 series of X Factor (Image: Janet Devlin/Instagram)
She said they later helped her get treatment after she opened up about her dark period – which saw her “daydream about suicide”.
Janet said: “For months I’d put on a brave face for the cameras but the truth was, I was broken.
“No one around me even cared enough to ask if I was all right. So long as I was ready for the performance, that’s all that mattered.
“After I was out, I was offered a place on the X Factor tour. I agreed. I’d hoped that this would be the end of the sadness.
“During my time on the show the dark clouds came back in full force. If I wasn’t rehearsing a performance or surrounded by other contestants at the X Factor house, I would be contemplating suicide, though I could never bring myself to think that word.”
Janet took medication to help her illness but she claims it suppressed her creative side (Image: Ken McKay/Rex Features)
When she opened up to bosses about her concerns about her mental health, she was taken to a doctor for tests and had therapy and psychologist sessions.
“Something had to be done. I spoke to the crew on the show. To my surprise, I was reassured that I wasn’t the only one going through it,” she said.
“That other contestants had been visiting a therapist and psychologist as well. The day after, I was taken to London’s Harley Street for an assessment.”
“On a scale of one to 100, 100 being the worst, I scored 93. This was not good news. Proof, were it needed, of just how on the edge of suicide I was.”
Janet her mind was clouded with suicidal thoughts when she wasn’t rehearsing or surrounded by other contestants (Image: Janet Devlin/Instagram)
Janet took medication to help her illness but she claims it suppressed her creative side and led her to start drinking.
She said: “The medication robbed me of my ability to express myself creatively. My song-writing felt forced and the lyrics disingenuous. I began to use alcohol as a replacement for the medication. Nothing worked.”
An X Factor spokesman said: “The health and welfare of contestants on the show is their utmost concern and if anything like this occurs there are experts on hand to address it.”
The X Factor has been approached by Daily Star Online for comment.
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK free on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans branch.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
