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James Arthur to confront his parents after being put in foster care aged 14

Home> Celebrity

Published 15:31 8 Nov 2022 GMT

James Arthur to confront his parents after being put in foster care aged 14

The X Factor winner will discuss his mental health struggles and living in care from the age of 14 in James Arthur: Out of Our Minds

Gregory Robinson

Gregory Robinson

James Arthur will have a heartbreaking conversation with his parents about being placed into foster care as a teen in the upcoming documentary, James Arthur: Out of Our Minds.

Watch the trailer below:

The singer, 34, was placed into care when he was 14 and he is set to open up about the decades of ‘trauma’ he’s experienced since in the upcoming BBC Three documentary.

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James Arthur: Out of Our Minds will feature the ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ singer discussing his battle with depression and anxiety.

James will also return to his home in the North East of England to confront his past in an attempt to gain some closure.

“I decided that, to tackle my mental health issues, had to start by going back to my hometown to revisit my past, and the separation from my parents,” he told The Sun.

“I need to talk to my dad. With mum, I don’t know if I’ve ever got closure from her – to hear her say 'sorry' without hearing a ‘but’," he said.

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James will talk about his experiences in care in the documentary.
Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

James – who the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012, is now living back up in Redcar - having left the South of England after feeling ‘isolated’.

He hopes that the move will help him get a better grasp on ‘who he is’ and see him surrounded by people who knew him as the ‘weird little ADHD kid’ before he found fame.

James’ parents separated when he was only two years old. His dad, delivery driver Neil and his mum Shirley both remarried to new partners not long after the split.

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Shirley’s partner - Ronnie Rafferty – who also became James’ stepdad then ‘disappeared’ and left the mum to raise four children on her own. At an emergency social care meeting a year later, James’ parents admitted they were unable to handle the situation, which led to the future pop singer moving into foster care at 14.

By the time he turned 20, he was living in a bedsit and suffering with depression, but he found a way out on the TV talent show and managed to get signed by Simon Cowell’s SyCo label.

James won The X Factor in 2012.
PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo

Fiona Campbell, Controller, BBC Three says: “We are grateful to James for putting his trust in us to share his story. Despite some of the themes the film will explore, we hope it will be full of optimism and shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel for people with similar experiences.”

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The documentary James Arthur: Out of Our Minds will air on BBC Three on November 13.

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone

Featured Image Credit: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo/Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: TV And Film, Celebrity, Health

Gregory Robinson
Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.

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