X Factor’s Anthony Russell ‘would be dead’ if Louis Tomlinson ‘hadn’t of saved him’ from drug addiction hell
X Factor Anthony Russell said he would be dead if Louis Tomlinson hadn’t of saved him from his drug addiction.
The 28-year-old singer was put through rehab by the former One Direction star, when they struck up a bond during the auditions stage last year.
Anthony pulled out of the ITV show last year but Louis was determined to put him on the right track.
The superstar staged an intervention and paid to have Anthony go to rehab.
Now, he’s preparing to sing his heart out during tonight’s live show and said none of it would have been possible without his “guardian angel” Louis.
Anthony told : “I would be dead now if it was not for him.”
“It got so bad I was drinking every day. I had a decent job on the railway but ruined it all when I turned up drunk and high, off my rocker.”
Louis and Anthony’s close bond was clear to see, as the hugged and burst into tears when Louis confirmed the singer was through to the live shows.
Throughout his rehabilitation, Louis stayed in close contact with Anthony and helped to keep him on the straight and narrow.
Now the pair have formed a friendship for life and Anthony said he just wants to make Louis proud.
Although Anthony has been on the show three times before, this will be the first time he has made it through to the live rounds.
He pulled out in 2017 and before that, sang his heart out in front of Simon Cowell, Sharon Osborne, Louis Walsh and Danii Minogue aged just 17.
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Speaking about the bond Louis struck with Anthony, Simon said: “I knew that Louis had reached out to help him with his demons a long time ago.
“I think it says a lot about the kind of person Louis is; he doesn’t brag about it, he doesn’t talk about it, it’s a very personal thing for him.”
The X Factor live shows start tonight at 8pm on ITV.
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