Tulisa says she ‘slept on her bathroom floor for seven days’ after suffering a breakdown when her ex released their sex tape as she brands it ‘the most hardcore depression she’s ever felt in her life’

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Tulisa shared that she coped with severe depression after her ex-boyfriend released a sex tape by sleeping on the floor of her bathroom for a week.

In 2012, at the peak of her career, singer Tulisa Contostavlos had a sex tape released by her ex-boyfriend, Justin Edwards, whom she had split from in 2009.

I was so relieved when Tulisa, now 37, finally got some acknowledgement in court from the person who shared those private images of her. It wasn’t a legal victory, sadly, as revenge porn wasn’t actually illegal back then. But she recently opened up about how deeply it affected her, and honestly, it broke my heart to hear about the devastating impact it had on her mental health. It’s just awful what she went through.

She called the leak of the sex tape ‘devastating,’ explaining it overshadowed what should have been a wonderful year. In 2011, she joined The X Factor and ultimately won the competition with her group, Little Mix, but the incident cast a shadow over her success.

She explained that the release of the tape caused her significant emotional distress, leading to a breakdown, and she continues to feel extremely vulnerable when it comes to intimacy.

In 2012, Tulisa resolved her lawsuit against Justin after he confessed to leaking the sex tape that was published online and agreed to issue an apology.

On the Ready To Talk podcast with Emma Barnett, she described that year as the best of her life, saying everything happening at the time made it incredibly special.

The only downside was knowing about the tape beforehand. Even though I was trying to have a great year, I kept worrying about it being released and ruining everything.

I was on stage with Little Mix, pretending everything was great, but backstage I was a mess. I told one of the producers I was terrified that a compromising tape would be released and that it would ruin my career.

‘My best year was still overshadowed, not overshadowed but had a dark shadow looming over it.’

Tulisa described the events leading up to the release of the sex tape, recalling a vivid and unsettling dream she had the night before. In the dream, her deceased uncle appeared and warned her that something bad was about to occur.

I had a strong feeling, even from a dream, that something big was about to happen. Then, while I was driving, my assistant told me it was official, and I instantly felt a wave of shock – like my heart dropped into my stomach.

Tulisa explained that the release of the sex tape caused a severe depression. She coped by retreating to the bathroom, recreating a childhood habit she developed while living with her mother, who struggled with schizophrenia.

At first, I was in denial – it didn’t feel real. Then, everything crashed down, and I experienced one of the worst periods of depression I’ve ever gone through.

Growing up, the bathroom was the one room with a lock, and I’d hide in there whenever my mom was struggling. When the video footage came out, I was so upset I slept in my bathroom for a full week, just with a pillow and blanket – that’s how badly it affected me.

It’s hard to explain, but what happened felt like a violation, almost like a virtual assault. I’ve always been sensitive about intimacy and struggled with it before, and this experience was incredibly shocking. It’s something that continues to deeply affect me even now.

I’m being completely honest about my love life – it was a really intense experience, and thinking about it now, it still feels that way. I’m not holding anything back.

In 2012, when Tulisa won her court case, sharing private images without consent wasn’t illegal. As a result, she only received an apology from her ex-partner after the case concluded.

The actress explained she decided to sue Justin after he falsely accused her of releasing the tape, instead of admitting he had done it himself.

Tulisa described the experience as incredibly difficult, saying the victory felt empty. She explained that she didn’t feel like she gained anything positive from it, only a small amount of clarity. She added that the situation would continue to affect her reputation forever.

At the time of her high court win in 2012, revenge porn was not a criminal offence.

Last March, Stephen Bear received a 21-month jail sentence for sharing a sexually explicit video of his former girlfriend, Georgia Harrison, without her permission. This case is comparable.

The law against revenge porn wasn’t created until 2014, so Justin couldn’t be charged under it for his actions.

Following her legal victory and Justin’s apology, Tulisa told the assembled photographers she was happy the truth about the private video had finally been revealed.

In her statement, she added: ‘This time, Justin messed with the wrong woman’.

She expressed her relief that the case had finally concluded, describing the past few months as incredibly difficult and something she never wanted to experience.

Justin Edwards intentionally tried to harm me, profit from it, and destroy my career, but he failed to achieve any of those goals.

Today, I’m a more confident and understanding person because of what I’ve gone through, and I’ve grown from the experience.

She went on to say she was appalled by Justin’s actions and heartbroken that some people thought she was the one who leaked the video. She expressed relief that the truth finally came out, explaining that after months of deceiving the public and the court, Justin had confessed his guilt and she hoped he would face appropriate consequences.

She also had a special message for fans who have supported her in her battle with her ex.

Tulisa wants to move on from this situation and put it behind her. She’s incredibly thankful to her fans for sticking with her, and especially appreciates the support she’s received from the public, her friends, family, and team.

Thanks to the support I received and my own resolve, I overcame this challenge. Justin quickly learned he shouldn’t have underestimated me.

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2025-12-16 13:53