Lulu admits 'it feels scary' as she shares rare admission on mental health
EXCLUSIVE: Iconic singer Lulu spoke on mental health as she launches her own charity and admits that it does feel scary to open up but hopes it will help people
Lulu has urged anyone suffering mental health issues to try to talk to a friend or family member adding: "It feels scary but you've got this".
The acclaimed singer, 76, made the comment after her own charitable fund Lulu's Mental Health Trust launched its first major event, a sponsored walk on Monday(May 19). Lulu decided to set up the fund while writing her memoir, celebrating 60 years since she stormed into the UK charts with her iconic hit Shout and realised the part mental health has played throughout her life, whether her own or her loved ones.
She told the Mirror: "The process of writing my memoir opened my eyes to the role that mental health has played in my life. Whether that's my own mental health, my loved ones, colleagues, whatever. When I was first coming into the industry we didn't talk about it! But it's so important, and I want to give back. People will understand what I mean when they read the book I think… it's coming soon."
Reflecting on her career, she added: "It feels kinda full circle. I've supported lots of charities over the years and still do, but to be able to put this together myself and help make a difference is really touching. We never talked about mental health or mental illnesses when I was growing up, I'm glad it's now something we're aware of.
"It feels important to take a minute to look back at everything I've achieved and take time to think how I can use it to give back to those that need it."
Lulu announced her new charity was being set up in February, coming off the back of her Champagne For Lulu farewell show last year which had to be extended due to demand.
She began her career with the single Shout, performed alongside her band The Luvvers, which reached number seven in the UK singles chart, and went on to have 10 UK top 10 singles and one top 10 album.
For her first charity initiative, Lulu will lead a mammoth walk which will take her from the school where she filmed ' To Sir With Love' in E1 0AQ to the old Decca studio where she recorded ' Shout' in NW6 3AU - passing more places connected to her incredible six-decade long career along the way.
Asked what she hoped people would take away from this campaign, she added: "The message we want to put out about how important it is to nurture and look after your mental health.
"If they take away anything, I'd love for it to be that there is help out there if they need it. If you're struggling please talk to someone. Talk to a friend, a family member, or someone trained in what to do and say. It feels scary, but you've got this."
She added: People have been so generous. I didn't expect so many people to sponsor me and it's only our first initiative! There will be more to come."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Liam Gallagher has just one regret as he prepares for first Oasis comeback show
Ahead of Oasis taking to the stage in Cardiff next month, Liam Gallagher has taken to social media and revealed that he has just one regret about the legendary band Liam Gallagher has revealed his one major regret about Oasis just weeks before the band hit the road. The legendary Manchester-based band will be on s tage together for the first time in 16 years next month for their mammoth Oasis Live '25 tour. Brothers Liam, 52, and Noel, 58, had been at loggerheads ever since the band split in 2009 and were often embroiled in tense feuds on social media and in interviews. But years before their split, an internal war is believed to have broken out between the warring siblings. Liam is said to have questioned the paternity of Noel's eldest daughter, Anaïs, 25, in May 2000. But after almost two decades of arguing, the brothers left fans in a state of disbelief last year when they announced their sensational return, almost 15 years to the day of their split. In just a matter of weeks, they will take to the stage at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on July 4 for their first show. However, Liam has now opened up about his one major regret about the band in an honest admission with a fan. "How does it feel singing songs with ur brother again? Like old times?" asked one fan on X, formerly known as Twitter. Liam responded: "You know what it's spiritual but I can't help think about all those wasted years, what a waste of PRECIOUS time." Oasis came to an end in 2009 following a disagreement between Liam and Noel backstage at the Rock en Seine Festival in Paris. A witness who saw them row said: "Liam was goading Noel constantly and then the two snapped." Liam also smashed up one of Noel's guitars during the heated clash. The pair are due to perform over 20 dates starting on July 4, before completing the UK leg on September 28 at Wembley Stadium. But could fans see the once-warring brothers again after their upcoming tour? Replying to a fan last week, Liam said: "Let's see how this tour goes and if we still love each other after it." When asked by the Mirror how rehearsals are going, Liam told us: "Dangerous." Meanwhile, videos have circulated on social media, with audio clips of the band apparently rehearsing the anthems Cigarettes & Alcohol and Fade Away. He told fans that it was his idea to have both songs on the setlist for the most anticipated tour. Last week, the two brothers were seen heading to rehearsals for the first time. While the pair arrived separately, they had two very different methods of transport to the top-secret location. Liam was seen arriving in a chauffeur-driven van, surrounded by packets of Lockets and cough syrup to help his throat, while his older brother, Noel, took public transport and was seen on the District Line at Paddington station. A source told the Mirror: "It was extremely exciting having Noel and Liam in the same room. The excitement for the tour is off the charts." Get Oasis updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the hotly anticipated Oasis reunion tour grows closer, the Mirror has launched its very own Oasis WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news on the Gallagher brothers and all the information you'll need in the run up to the gigs. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault in landmark retrial
Harvey Weinstein now faces fresh prison time after jurors found he forced a woman into a sex act in 2006. Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has been convicted of one count of sexual assault in his sex crimes retrial. The 73-year-old was acquitted of another, and jurors were as yet unable to reach a verdict on a third charge, reports the Mirror. Weinstein, who denies ever raping or assaulting anyone, sat emotionless in court as the split verdict was delivered. It marks a partial victory for both prosecutors and his defence, as the case continues to divide public opinion He denies sexually assaulting or raping anyone. His initial conviction came five years ago after the landmark #MeToo Movement. However, last year it was overturned. The case went back for a retrial in the same Manhattan courthouse. Now, the jury convicted the former studio boss of forcibly subjecting one to a criminal sex act in 2006. They also acquitted Weinstein of another criminal sex act charge from 2006. The jury remains in deadlock over claims he raped another woman in 2013. Under New York law, the third-degree rape charge carries a less severe penalty than the first-degree criminal sex act offence. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Jurors – seven women and five men – are now in their fifth day of deliberations and earlier today re-heard dramatic testimony from Jessica Mann, who says Weinstein raped her in a hotel room in 2013. She has waived her right to anonymity. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to raping Mann and to forcing oral sex on two other women, Mimi Haley and Kaja Sokolo. He insists that he never sexually assaulted or raped anyone. His legal team claims the women were ambitious opportunists trying to boost their careers in the movie business. Mann told the court her relationship with Weinstein started consensually but turned abusive. Despite this, it continued for some time. Weinstein was convicted in 2020 of raping her and assaulting Haley, but that conviction was overturned last year due to concerns over how the jury was influenced. Sokola added her accusation last year after New York state's highest court overturned the 2020 conviction and sent the case back for retrial. Weinstein is also appealing a 2022 rape conviction in Los Angeles. All three women in the case have waived their right to anonymity. Weinstein is facing a retrial after New York's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction last year, ruling that prejudicial testimony had unfairly influenced the original outcome. He will be retried on two of the original charges; raping an aspiring actor in a Manhattan hotel in 2013, and forcing oral sex on a production assistant in 2006. A third, unnamed woman also came forward in this retrial with fresh claims. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is currently being held at Rikers Island, where his lawyers say he's endured shocking conditions. They've filed a $5 million lawsuit against New York City, claiming "substandard medical care" and unsanitary conditions. If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Pete Wicks' desperate plea to give 'beloved' dog a home before he dies
Kind-hearted TV star Pete Wicks is urging Mirror readers to adopt Neapolitan Mastiff Theo who may only have months left to live because of a heart condition For Pete Wicks, it was very much love at first sight. And as Theo the Neapolitan Mastiff bounds over and gives him a big, slobbery lick, the feeling is most definitely mutual. 'He is a big boy, clumsy, goofy, and a bit of a doughnut, but he's so soft and gentle with this squishy, slobbery face, and I just absolutely love him,' Pete says. As the presenter of TV show Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake, he meets hundreds of dogs like Theo every year who are in desperate need of a home. But he was left so moved by Theo's heartbreaking story that Pete is now calling on kind-hearted Mirror readers to help. Because loveable Theo, who is only four-years-old, has a life-limiting heart condition that means he may only have up to a year left to live. Pete is desperate for him to find a loving home so he doesn't have to spend his final days in kennels. And the star has even offered to pay for all Theo's medical bills himself to lessen the financial load for anyone who adopts him. 'I'm not afraid to admit I'm very emotional when it comes to dogs but it hit me very hard, like a ton of bricks,' Pete says. 'It's impacted me quite a lot and makes me emotional now thinking about it…if you could meet him and just two minutes with him, he is this big, slobbery angel on Earth.' Theo has dilated cardiomyopathy which means that his heart struggles to work efficiently. He also has arrhythmia. 'We don't know how long he's got before heart failure. It could be months. It could be a year, but the likelihood is that as he gets older, it will get worse,' he says. 'He may not have a particularly lot of time left. He is being treated with different medicines, which are incredibly expensive, so I've offered to pay for these myself.' Pete says he would have loved to have adopted Theo himself, who is currently living at Kenilworth Dogs Trust. 'I genuinely would love to but we're at the beginning of filming for the next six months, which makes looking after him impossible,' he says. 'But its upsets me when I think of this dog spending whatever time he has left in kennels. 'If there ever is a dog that deserves to be at home and have however long he's got left surrounded by a family, this is the dog.' They first met while filming the new series of the smash-hit U&W show Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake at Dogs Trust Kenilworth. Theo arrived severely underweight after being found as a stray. For now, Theo, who weighs 52kgs, is being expertly cared for by staff, who have also fallen in love with him, particularly Louie his handler. Given his heart condition, they have to manage Theo very carefully, who is a little limited in terms of the amount of exercise he is allowed. 'Keeping a young dog who's kind of got this lust for life quite calm, especially when it's a dog of his size, can be quite difficult,' Pete says. Instead they try and keep him stimulated in other ways such as through licky mats and puzzles, which Theo enjoys. 'We try to stimulate his brain in a way that kind of exercise would normally do, but keeps him fairly calm in the process,' he says. According to the Dogs Trust, Theo would be happy in a home with teenagers aged 14 and above, and could live with another confident dog, following a successful meet-and-greet at the charity's rehoming centre. Emma-Jane Thomas, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Kenilworth, adds: 'Theo is our resident gentle giant. He's got a wonderful temperament and buckets of love to give, but sadly, his health condition and life expectancy is putting off potential adopters. 'We're so grateful to Pete and the For Dogs' Sake team for helping us spread the word about Theo and his search for a home. 'Until we are able to find him a permanent home, Theo will be taken care of by our wonderful team of volunteer fosterers and staff at Dogs Trust Kenilworth, but we know his forever sofa is out there somewhere. And with Pete Wicks giving him the celeb seal of approval, how could you possibly say no?' Due to his size and energy. Theo will also need some support settling into a routine, including housetraining and gradually becoming comfortable being left alone. His ideal home would offer plenty of space and a peaceful routine, the charity says. 'If there ever there is a dog that deserves to live out the rest of his life surrounded by love, then it's this one,' says Pete. Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake is returning to U&W for a second and third series, as well as a Christmas special. Series one is available to stream for free on U.
