Union J singer George Shelley has bravely discussed his younger sister’s tragic death in a TV interview.
The I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! contestant gave the interview to ITV’s Lorraine to mark Time To Talk Day [1 February].
The initiative aims to get people talking about their experiences of mental health.
Instagram/georgeshelley
George, 23, told Lorraine: ‘I’ve had a pretty rubbish year and I’ve experienced things I thought I’d never have to experience.’
George’s sister Harriet was struck by a car in Bristol last year. She was taken to intensive care but died soon after, at the age of 21.
Instagram/georgeshelley
‘I just pretended it didn’t happen’
The star, visibly upset during the interview, furthermore added: ’It was like she’s gonna live, she’s gonna live, and at the end they said they had the brain specialists in and said even if she pulls through she’s gone.’
‘I just pretended it didn’t happen. I was doing things I shouldn’t have been doing because I wasn’t well enough to.’
Instagram/georgeshelly
He also said: ‘I’m seeing colour again. For so long I was in my bedroom, the lights were off, there were take-away bags everywhere; I wasn’t talking to my friends.’
The Carry You singer credits his best friend and his boyfriend Matthew Holehouse with helping him recover.
George had dated men and women in the past. However, he also also discussed going into the I’m a Celebrity… jungle in 2015 identifying as a closeted gay men, and the anxiety that came with that.
‘I went into the jungle knowing I was gay. I’d kissed boys. You panic because you’re in that situation. I was crying and missing my mum because I was panicking, is anyone trying to out me?’
If you’re in need of support or to speak to someone, here is a list of helplines and crisis support websites that can help LGBTI people in need.
