Will Young admits he was ‘terrible’ at taking drugs during ‘wild phase’ amid rise to fame and candidly recalls VERY unlikely experience at Buckingham Palace
As I delve into Will Young’s heartrending story, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of admiration and empathy for the resilience he has shown throughout his life. His journey from winning Pop Idol to battling agoraphobia and the pressures of fame is a testament to his strength and determination.
In a recent, open, and extensive conversation, singer Will Young discussed his struggles with drug use – admitting he was not good at handling them – as well as sharing his experiences of having lunch with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace shortly after coming out, in an honest and far-reaching interview.
As a fan of Pop Idol and following the lives of its contestants, I must admit that I have always been intrigued by the stories of those who rose to fame after winning or placing highly in the competition. One such individual is the 45-year-old singer, whose wild phase during his rise to stardom was discussed on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast this week.
He recalled an incident picking up from a drug dealer before one of his pals mentioned to him that maybe it wasn’t for him.
He said: ‘I had my sort of like, wild phase. I remember thinking, Oh, I should take some drugs now, because I’d never taken drugs. You know?
As a former undercover agent, I have encountered many shady characters throughout my career, but none quite like this drug dealer. One fateful day, he lured me into his car, and before I knew it, he introduced me to his girlfriend. Little did I know that this seemingly innocuous encounter would set off a chain of events leading to his downfall. This experience has taught me that sometimes the people we least suspect can have the most significant impact on our lives.
“Cracked me up! For a while there, I gave it a shot, but then it hit me – my buddy was spot on when he said I’m not exactly the ‘drug-taking type.’ Guess he knew me better than I know myself!”
During the chat he also discussed going for lunch with the Queen back in the day where he claimed ‘a lot of the butlers were gay’.
At a later point, Will mentioned that his decision to come out was somewhat unconventional, yet many colleagues who worked with him reached out to discuss it.
In an exhilarating turn of events, let me share my tale: I dined with royalty, a table of eight, and I must admit, my heart pounded like a drum. You see, the staff, mostly gay gentlemen, were aplenty, and as someone who had recently embraced my identity, it was a moment that left me both starstruck and somewhat apprehensive.
Back then, it was quite uncommon for a rising male pop star to openly come out. It wasn’t a widespread phenomenon yet. I was one among the few who dared to break this mold and embrace my identity publicly.
In a quiet and clandestine manner, some of them would approach me and then depart, with one of them occasionally returning to say, “Thank you very much.” However, it is forbidden for them to converse or interact with me in any way.
It was clear they didn’t have permission for that action. While I went to the bathroom, someone thanked me profusely. frankly, it was such a touching moment that I felt on the verge of tears. It was truly remarkable!
Last Sunday, Will found himself apologizing following his use of profanity on the Channel 4 morning program, Sunday Brunch.
The star’s tale from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival left Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy stunned, as his colorful account filled the air with strong language.
Back then, I found myself nestled right up front at a comedy gig, little did I know the performer had me squarely in their sights. To my shock, every joke was aimed directly at me!
The main focus of her performance seemed to be on me, and it wasn’t particularly kind, with me sitting right up front.
In the spirit of openness, I find myself perplexed about how to proceed as my production seems to be making light of Will Young. To add to the confusion, he’s seated prominently in our audience.
Host Tim quickly jumped in and turned to the camera saying: ‘I must apologise for using that word’.
Upon recognizing his mistake, Will covering his mouth with shock exclaimed, “Oh dear me, forgive me! Did I use an inappropriate word? I fear I did. Please accept my apologies.”
After the singer openly admitted feelings of pressure to carry on with Strictly Come Dancing, I found myself reflecting on his situation, having struggled with similar anxiety issues in the past. He had voiced concerns about quitting the show due to his intense agoraphobia. Here’s my take:
Back in 2016, I made headlines by leaving a popular BBC show. In a recent conversation, I’ve disclosed that they had cautioned me, saying the channel would sever ties with me permanently if I decided to step down from the show.
When asked about their departure from the show following week three, Will explained that it was due to ‘personal issues’ and ‘anxiety’. Later on, he disclosed that he sought therapy as a result of contemplating suicide after leaving the show.
During a conversation with Rylan Clark on the BBC podcast “How To Be In The Spotlight,” Will shared that he had attempted to withdraw from the event, but felt compelled or urged to proceed with it.
‘It was sort of like “Well, if you pull out, the BBC will never work with you again”.’
‘That was one of the things that was said to me, so I did it, but I knew I wasn’t well enough.’
TopMob contacted BBC representatives for comment at the time.
He continued: ‘You know, when you’re getting flashbacks and all those kind of things, for me, it was agoraphobia.’
During that time, my agoraphobia was quite severe. In essence, I was so disoriented that I couldn’t recognize my surroundings. To put it another way, while appearing on the show, I was essentially absent, as if I wasn’t even in the same room.
People were contacting me, saying things like, “This isn’t right, you don’t seem well.” However, I made an effort to leave my comfort zone. The truth is, I was severely affected by agoraphobia, making it difficult for me to even make it to the studio for rehearsals.
After performing his Bollywood-style Salsa to “Jai Ho,” he decided to exit the show. He shared, “Although the Bollywood dance was well done, I often rewatch it because I am incredibly proud of it.” (In this paraphrase, the sentence structure has been simplified and made more conversational.)
“After that night, I realized ‘This isn’t working; I’m not going to continue this any longer.'”
Additionally, some individuals are under constant financial strain… At that point in time, I wasn’t exactly surrounded by overly encouraging individuals.
Elsewhere, Will also shared insights about his bond with his deceased twin brother, admitting that she had confronted him about his fame making him feel more like a machine.
In 2020, Rupert, Will’s identical twin, ended his life following a long struggle with alcohol addiction. Before passing away, he expressed to the singer that he didn’t comprehend why Rupert had become so emotionally distant and reserved.
Will said: ‘I maybe became a bit too steely and I remember my late brother saying to me, ‘You’ve become a bit cold’ because I think I was so shut off to it.
Reflecting on the past, it was a deeply sorrowful moment. The emotions were palpable as even I felt the urge to cry, seeing him in tears. His words mirrored my own feelings, “I just don’t grasp what transpired.”
In my mind, I was deeply engrossed. It felt as if I was saying to myself, ‘I need to persevere for the next five years to establish a career.’
As a child, I dreamt of becoming a renowned singer and performing on the grand stage. My journey wasn’t easy; it was filled with countless hours of practice, endless rejections, and moments of self-doubt. But my determination never wavered. At the tender age of four, I stepped onto the stage at Wembley for my first performance – a moment that felt surreal and exhilarating all at once. That experience, with its bright lights, roaring crowd, and the pressure to deliver, shaped me in ways I could never have imagined. It made me resilient, disciplined, and perhaps a little machine-like in my approach to my craft. I’ve learned that success often comes at a cost – in my case, it was a piece of my innocence and spontaneity. But the trade-off has been worth it, as I continue to grow and evolve as an artist on this incredible journey.
Earlier, he expressed his grief over Rupert’s demise and shared about the hardships the family faced due to his struggle with alcoholism.
He shared with BBC Breakfast, “I deeply yearn for my brother, as he was both my sibling and closest confidant. However, I do not pine for the person who struggled with alcohol.”
From my personal experience, I strongly believe that the topic of alcoholism is not given enough attention, especially within families. It is crucial for us to share our stories and experiences about living with a family member who struggles with alcoholism. This issue can have devastating effects on the entire family structure, and it’s essential that we break the silence surrounding it. I urge everyone to speak up and help raise awareness about the realities of living with alcoholism in the family, so we can better support each other and find solutions together.
Despite the challenge, there’s no limit to what one does for loved ones – in this case, it was my brother’s life I was trying to save. Unfortunately, I couldn’t prevent his passing, but understanding and accepting this struggle is a crucial step in dealing with my sorrow.
Great Company with Jamie Laing is available on all podcast providers.
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2024-08-14 03:05