Former X Factor host Olly Murs opens up about battling mental pressure of career and splitting from girlfriend Francesca Thomas
Singer speaks candidly about his recent mental struggles which ended with him spending a week alone in bed
ON the surface OLLY MURS seems the happiest man in music – a cheeky chappy who loves a laugh, loves the ladies and delivers perfect pop hits to boot.
But beneath his fun-loving exterior the singer has been battling through one of the most difficult periods of his career.
Now for the first time Olly has spoken candidly about his recent mental struggles which ended with him spending a week alone in bed.
It all came to a head as the weight of juggling his X Factor hosting duties with promoting his music piled up, just weeks after he split from girlfriend Francesca Thomas.
In an exclusive interview, Olly confessed: “The X Factor was amazing but the schedule was hard. Then to add music into that makes it doubly hard.
“I’m a human being, I can’t do everything.
“People forget you are on the biggest show on TV so as soon as you walk out on Saturday or Sunday night all the attention is on you.
“Being an artist I loved the attention but every night it was just so intense.
“It’s the mental pressure of dealing with TV, the lights being on you, plus at the same time promoting your single and wanting that to do well.
“It was mentally and physically tiring because of all the travelling I was doing in between it all.
“In the lead up to Christmas it hit me hard. I had a week in bed when I couldn’t move.
“It was a bit of a brain freeze. I was a bit of a zombie. I had to have three or four days in silence when I just chilled out, got off my phone and had a bit of me time.”
Thankfully Olly is now back to his old self — and back with new music, too.
I have already heard his brand new single You Don’t Know Love, which is out this Friday, and can confirm it’s a serious summer smash.
My exclusive picture shows him shooting the music video in Las Vegas.
However after a tough end to 2015 the song is tinged with sadness.
The track — and much of his forthcoming fifth album — details his break-up from ex Francesca.
Not that she’s aware...
He explained: “We are still on speaking terms so we still talk, not regularly, but we do go back and forth here and there.
“I haven’t spoken to her about my music but I’m sure she’ll be predicting that there will be something about her.
“You realise a lot when you come out of a relationship after three years.
“There are times when you have negative views about your ex but there were times when I caused arguments or I caused fights for no reason.”
But while Olly has been lapping up his new single life, pulling a number of lucky ladies as I have reported over the past six months, the star has revealed he would love a permanent partner in his life.
He added: “I still miss having a girlfriend. I still miss having someone around. I don’t mind going on dates but they’re not my cup of tea.
“I just want to focus on the album and the music and what will be, will be.”
Form an orderly queue, girls.
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