Regardless of the fact that the agitated individual brandishing a hammer and exhibiting intense emotions was recognized as a renowned pop star who had previously inspired us with his call to dream big, the police remained silent on the matter.
Jon Lee, once famously recognized as the youngest member of S Club 7, a band known for their unparalleled wholesomeness and minimal threat in the pop world, seems to indicate that they likely failed to establish a connection, he smiles.
‘At that time, I hardly resembled who I was. During one of my psychotic episodes, where I’d be destroying my apartment with a hammer, I’d suddenly see myself in the mirror and exclaim: “What on earth is happening?” I’d experience brief moments of clarity, thinking: “I used to be a successful young man, with a promising career and an amazing life. What have I become?”‘
Standing there, I was surrounded by wall holes and sporting numerous cuts on my knuckles, a testament to the self-inflicted wounds on my head. My appearance had drastically changed, as I’d shaved off my hair, making me unrecognizable compared to the image most people have of Jon from S Club.
During one of these incidents, circa 2019, Jon’s neighbours dialled 999.
At three in the morning, I found myself in a chaotic situation, making a lot of noise with my shouts and causing damage around the place. The authorities arrived on scene, observing my frantic state, and before I knew it, they were guiding me downstairs, where an ambulance had already been called.
‘I can’t say where I ended up; it wasn’t a hospital, but more like a clinic. I believe they admitted me there for some reason, as I spent the night. There was always someone outside my room, and I had to keep the door open. I think they thought I might harm myself. It was later that I decided to leave on my own accord.’
As a lifestyle expert, I’m sharing a poignant story today, one that comes from Jon – a child prodigy who graced the West End stage at just 12 years old, later catapulted into fame as part of the sensational S Club 7. For the first time, he’s opened up about his struggle with drug abuse, an ordeal that came perilously close to claiming his life and obliterating a significant portion of his adulthood.
In his pop star days, he experimented with various types of less harmful substances, and openly acknowledges using alcohol as a means to mold himself into the person he believed he needed to be. However, it wasn’t until his early thirties, when his pop career seemed like a fading memory and he was trying his hand at musical theatre, that he encountered crystal meth for the first time.
His struggle with addiction took a significant toll on him, leaving him wondering miraculously how he survived. As he reflects back, his voice trembles slightly as he speaks of the hallucinations, irrational fears, and periods of intense excitement that he experienced.
For quite some time, my mother had been bracing herself for the news that I wouldn’t live – instead of hearing “We have found Jon, he is alive.
‘My biggest regret is that I put my family through that.’
At certain moments, it appeared as if Jon, who seemed to embody the glamorous life of show business, harbored a desire to end his own life. In fact, he made several attempts to do so.
Besides using crystal meth, I was also consuming GHB, a substance that renders you unconscious if taken in a specific quantity. I would intentionally take four times the recommended dose, hoping not to regain consciousness. Upon waking up, usually after an entire 24 hours had passed, all I could recall were tears streaming down my face because I deeply yearned not to be alive.
In numerous ways, a life may fall apart, yet Jon’s narrative, at the age of 43 and residing back home in Cornwall close to his mother, stirs curiosity about how stardom might have contributed to his downfall.
As I recount my journey, let me clarify that I hail from an unassuming, non-celebrity household. Yet, destiny had a different script for me. At the tender age of twelve, I found myself cast in the iconic musical “Oliver!” on the West End stage. By thirteen, I was the proud recipient of a scholarship to the esteemed Sylvia Young drama school, where the remarkable Amy Winehouse was a year my junior – an intriguing tidbit I often share.
At just 16 years old, he became a member of S Club and experienced a rapid rise to international stardom, with his charming visage gracing walls in countless bedrooms across the globe. When S Club disbanded (following four Top 10 hits, widespread acclaim, and their own television series), he was still merely 23 years old.
The world isn’t typical as we know it. It feels like you’re swimming in a goldfish bowl, experiencing pressures that others outside can hardly fathom.
‘Some people do come out unscathed, but others…’
He recalls his childhood friend Amy Winehouse, whose struggle with substance abuse was highly visible. I’m thankful that my experience wasn’t as public. If I had faced what I went through and also dealt with tabloid headlines about it, I don’t believe I would be alive today.
Jon first started drinking when he was about 17.
‘It gave me a confidence that I didn’t have. Everyone assumes you do, but I didn’t.’
In the past, there were intricate circumstances involved, nonetheless. Jon had been aware of his homosexuality since his teenage years and was honest about it with his family, friends, and bandmates. However, it wasn’t until 2010, following the disbandment of S Club, that he made his sexual orientation public. The disparity between his true self and the image his fans held of him caused a substantial emotional distress, which he now acknowledges.
‘For much of that period, I was constantly fearful that my secret would be discovered. I was leading a false life. I yearned to express my true self. Each interview I gave left me wondering, “Today is the day someone will inquire about it. What will I answer?”‘
As a lifestyle connoisseur, I might share this personal experience: After my band disbanded and I transitioned to musical theatre, I found myself leaning on alcohol to dull the anxiety that surfaced during those transitional months.
‘On many days, I consume gin, vodka, and wine. Even after partying, I’d rise and go to work. If my job wasn’t there, though, I might finish nearly three-quarters of a bottle of gin during the afternoon.’
Moreover, there were various types of recreational drugs being used regularly, including cannabis, cocaine, and ecstasy, according to him.
As his life grew increasingly complex, he found himself leaning heavily on his stimulant support systems. In his mid-thirties, he experienced a tumultuous romantic relationship that ended unfavorably. In 2014, another significant setback struck him, leaving him disoriented. This time, it was the diagnosis of motor neurone disease in his father – the pillar of his life, the one who had tirelessly driven across the country to accompany him to auditions as a child. ‘My dad was my idol,’ he admits. ‘He was the confidant I shared my financial concerns, career decisions, and everything else with. One of the harshest realities is that he lost the power of speech. It took an emotional toll on me. I struggled to cope.’
He was in his mid-thirties, when he says he ‘lost the plot’.
It seems as though I was attempting to escape my circumstances, to distance myself from the harsh truth of my father’s situation. Now, I feel embarrassed because my family relied on me during a difficult time, yet I found myself unable to cope.
A companion proposed trying crystal meth, initially intending to smoke it, and he admittedly found it captivating, as it helped him momentarily escape all troubles. After a single instance, he resumed usage after several weeks, doubting any issues. Later, someone suggested injecting the substance for a more potent high. He now displays his arm, indicating where he exposed a vein for injection.
He finds it hard to believe that he made such a choice – allowing a stranger to inject him with an appalling and hazardous substance. This decision led him on a perilous path. His career came to a standstill, as he could neither perform nor even attempt to audition in a theater. He retreated into seclusion, living alone in his flat near London. To escape the turmoil within, he would draw the curtains and try to quiet his own thoughts. In the early stages of his addiction, he was spending over £250 each week on crystal meth – an amount greater than his mortgage payment. The psychotic hallucinations soon followed, further complicating his struggles.
I’m absolutely certain that someone was living in the apartment. At times, I could only hear them, while on other occasions, I even spotted them. I had interactions with them, much like we are having now.
At times, they provided an unusual sense of companionship, as I never experienced loneliness. Yet, there were moments when fear gripped me tightly. I would keep a hammer close under my bed for safety. I felt compelled to lock myself in my room, believing they were about to approach and invade.
I was plagued by suspicions that they might be breaking into my computer and eavesdropping on my phone calls. In response, I became increasingly agitated and would sometimes act out in anger around my apartment. One day, I even stuck my head through the bathroom door.
Several times his mum and sister took him to A&E after he had hurt himself.
However, he turned down any assistance offered, opting instead for a more secluded lifestyle. He would leave his solitude only to purchase drugs or for a brief stroll.
‘Drugs kept me awake at night, forcing me to walk for long hours to escape the voices in my head. I would return home only when dawn broke, but I could finally sleep afterwards.’ Jon recalls his father’s death in 2019 with tears in his eyes. ‘My dad was so proud of me,’ he shares, ‘but I felt ashamed of the person I had become.’ Rock bottom came when, in one of his frequent destructive episodes at home, the police were called. Although he was released the following day, he recognized then that it marked a turning point.
Some individuals may seek help in a rehabilitation facility by now, or reach out to their family members. Instead, he opted for a change of scenery, boarding the Eurostar train to Paris.
He expresses that he has stepped away from his life. He mailed the keys to his flat to his mother, penned a letter to her and his sister stating “I need to make this move”. He discarded his phone and eliminated all of his social media accounts. A voice within him urged him to act – “leave now” – and he followed that instruction.
For approximately a year and a half, I found myself absent from my family’s ears, but when communication resumed, it was not to catch up or share stories – instead, I asked them to part with my apartment.
I spent three and a half years wandering through Paris, Venice, Florence, and Berlin, among other places. Just strolling around, similar to my explorations in London, but this time sans any drugs.
Regarding his career and his fanbase, it’s remarkable that nobody suspected a thing. It was so surprising that even his fellow S Club members’ families were inquiring about his whereabouts, as no one knew where he was.
During those years when he wasn’t generating earnings himself, he apparently found a way to fund them. He claims that his shrewd father had suggested investing in real estate during the S Club 7 era, and fortunately for him, he still owned three apartments which were leased out, thus ensuring a consistent income stream.
Five years past, he arrived in India, yet his sense of direction in life felt unsteady. However, a chance meeting was to turn the tide, altering his existence altogether.
He announced that he discovered a puppy, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He named her Lolly, and it’s not an overstatement to express that she rekindled a purpose for him to live once more. Each morning found him rising from bed to feed her.
In 2022, he went back to the United Kingdom, accompanied by not just one but three rescue dogs. His intention was to rebuild his life’s fragments, but upon arrival, he received news that another S Club reunion was being planned, commemorating the band’s 25th anniversary.
Initially, he wasn’t involved. However, he shared his past experiences with them. He admitted that he was worried about returning to the public eye as it might disrupt him.
Simon Fuller, the mastermind behind S Club 7, displayed a mix of surprise and comprehension. He expressed that it was alright for me to proceed at my own speed.
Any doubts about Jon’s location were quickly forgotten following the unfortunate incident that struck the band: the untimely death of their bandmate, Paul Cattermole, at only 49 years old in April 2023, due to a heart-related illness.
Jon acknowledges that losing Paul was incredibly difficult for him. They had shared a heart-to-heart conversation at the pub, where Jon confided in Paul about his past struggles. Unfortunately, this happened just before Paul passed away, leaving Jon feeling stunned. However, they all received grief counseling to help cope with their loss. During that time, Jon seemed to take a deep look into his life, revisiting old memories, and attempting to reassemble the pieces of his life. This introspection only strengthened Jon’s resolve to carry on living.
This now takes us to the current situation. Jon has returned to his job, collaborating with his fellow S Club member Jo O’Meara on performances, and re-entering the limelight as a celebrity once more.
In August he will appear on the show Celebs Go Dating, proudly and openly seeking a partner.
Speaking of his family, he returned to Cornwall as part of his recovery process and purchased two homes on a single plot. Now, he resides in one, while his mother, sister, and their daughters live in the other. He expresses his deep gratitude, saying “They never abandoned me; I owe them everything.
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2025-07-19 04:20