Music legend Lulu has given a raw and emotional account of her past struggles with alcohol, confessing she believed herself to be a "bad person" before understanding her addiction as an illness.
The Path to Sobriety and Self-Forgiveness
The 75-year-old singer, famed for hits like Shout, has been sober since 3 November 2013. She revealed the turning point came when she entered recovery and learned that alcoholism is a disease. "I was so relieved because I thought I was a bad person," Lulu explained during an appearance on Matt Willis's podcast, On The Mend. She described having "all this confused s**t in my head about who I should be."
Despite a long-standing spiritual practice that included 45 years with a guru and meditation, Lulu said she harboured parts of herself she felt she had to hide. "There were these characters in me that were because people wouldn't like me if they knew who I really was," she admitted.
A Painful Reflection on Motherhood
The conversation took a particularly poignant turn when Lulu discussed her relationship with her 48-year-old son, Jordan. He is her child with ex-husband, celebrity hairstylist John Freida. In a separate podcast with psychotherapist Julia Samuel, Lulu became tearful as she acknowledged she "couldn't say she was a great parent."
She disclosed that Jordan finds her public reflections "too painful" to listen to and has told her he will not read her book because he "knows it all anyway." However, Lulu emphasised that their bond is strengthening. "We are closer and closer and closer because I've looked at my pain," she said, visibly moved. She expressed deep gratitude for his forgiveness, calling him "magnanimous" and "kind."
Building a New Chapter with Family
Lulu stated that while there are aspects of her past she wishes she had handled differently, Jordan has "accepted it and moved on." The pair are now "kind of on the same page." A significant part of her amends involves being present for her grandchildren. Jordan, who once played Prince William on screen, is now a successful restaurateur in London. He is married to Alana Rice, and they have two children: a daughter named Isabella Rose and a son called Edward (Teddy).
Lulu concluded that making amends and being there for her family today feels "great," marking a hopeful new chapter built on honesty and recovery.
