A former X-Factor star has opened up about how her life went into a tailspin following her exit from the ITV show. Janet Devlin, who was just a teenager when she auditioned for X-Factor in 2011, confessed that she was already "broken" and battling alcoholism before she performed in front of Tulisa, Louis Walsh and Gary Barlow.
Speaking to the People Are Deep podcast, she said: "The thing about my addiction that people assume is that, after having such a massive turn of your life that it would naturally lead you to addiction.
"But it wasn't that. I was already a little bit broken before I even did the show,"
Janet also expressed her shock at the attitudes of some of the other contestants she lived with during the competition. She admitted: "I was really afraid of big personalities, and I was really afraid of confidence – especially in women. Not that I was envious. It just scared me.
"I remember a few contestants not liking me and verbally exclaiming to me, and to the teams and everyone there, how much they disliked me how much they hated me.
"Because at the time I was the bookie's favourite ...and I felt like a lot of people made me like enemy number one in the in the house."
However, the in-house rivalry paled in comparison to what Janet faced post-elimination.
Despite topping the public vote more times than any other act in the 2011 series and reaching the quarter-final, Janet found herself in the danger zone.
Janet was then eliminated from the competition despite leading in the public vote, as some judges chose to save their own acts. Despite her popularity, she faced considerable hostility from the public, which also affected her family.
She explained: "My mum worked in the courthouse and she'd be going into work at 8:30 in the morning and there would be people yelling abuse at my mother while she was on her way into work."
The level of "hate" directed at Janet was so intense that she withdrew from social life, admitting: "When I would go out I just got a lot of hate. So I obviously stopped going out. I wouldn't go into bars really, and if I did I would have had to have been drunk before I went because I didn't know the people from where I was from were capable of such hatred."
Her self-esteem plummeted, and alcohol became a crutch, culminating in an emergency hospital visit after self-harming. She recounted not being fully aware of her actions due to intoxication: "I didn't notice it because I was also half drunk at the time."
In the hospital, Janet noticed staff who weren't involved directly in her care intruding in her ward to catch a glimpse of "the wee girl off the telly".
Her struggle with alcoholism reached a nadir when she described her routine of drinking to unconsciousness. She continued: "If I wasn't working I was drinking. I would just drink myself into passing out and then I would literally try and stay passed-out the whole entire weekend."
Even professional commitments were affected, as she sometimes arrived at the recording studio still under the influence, remarking: "It's a miracle that first album got recorded at all."
However, following a lengthy battle with addiction, Janet has successfully turned her life around. She has launched her fourth album, the country-infused Emotional Rodeo, which debuted at No.24 on the UK album charts.
The NHS offers help and advice on its website for anyone struggling with alcohol problems. Alternatively you can call its free helpline 0300 123 1110
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
English (United States) ·