'X Factor' contestant claims show 'has torn her family apart'

Alexandra Burke claims ‘The X Factor’ has torn her family apart.

The 21-year-old singer, who won the ITV talent show last year, revealed her mother Melissa Bell – who was part of 80s band Soul II Soul - has struggled to cope with her growing fame, while her 16-year-old brother’s friends have started abusing her.

She said: “Mum had Soul II Soul but it didn’t last as long as she wanted it to last. Then I get this big new show, I win it, and it’s weird for her to see this.

“Although she’s proud, it’s like she wants to rewind time to when she was younger, when she didn’t have kids. I’ve never talked about this before. We’re not a perfect family. Things p**s me off.”

Alexandra has a turbulent relationship with her mother.

The pair fell out of badly when Alexandra was 16 her mother ordered her to leave the family home, and the pair didn’t talk again until Alexandra was 18.

She also told how her brother Aaron’s friends are jealous of her career, and have begun throwing stones at her car and calling her names.

She is so sick of the attention she has now decided to move home to escape them.

Alexandra is also concerned about Aaron’s mental state – he swallowed painkillers in a suicide bid in July, following a family row.

She told Britain’s Marie Claire magazine: “Every time I come out it’s abusive names. It upsets me.

“Aaron is going off the rails. He needs a father figure. He’s not listening to my mum.”

The ‘Bad Boys’ singer added it was only because of her family pressuring her that she even auditioned for ‘The X Factor’.

She said: “I remember waking up, and I was like, ‘Leave me the f**k alone. Stop talking about it, I don’t want to do it.’

“Later, mum was already inside the audition place with her number. They said ‘no’ to her and ‘yes’ to me.”