Rick Astley breaks down on stage as he admits he lived ‘in a tin box’ | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV | Express.co.uk

Rick Astley struggled to hold back tears on stage as he opened up about his ‘unconventional’ childhood.

The pop icon shot to fame at the age of 21 with his number one hit single Never Gonna Give You Up in the late 1980s. Since then the hitmaker has gone from strength to strength, performing at Glastonbury and singing the nation into the new year.

The chart-topper is currently on a brief tour around the UK to promote his new tell-all book, Never. His brutally honest memoir includes personal anecdotes from his childhood in Newton-le-Willows that ultimately led to his music career.

During an emotional evening at Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, he spoke frankly about his unusual childhood and his turbulent relationship with his parents.

In a conversation with Nihal Arthanayake, the 58-year-old singer explained that after his parents’ passing, he sought the blessing of his family and siblings to discuss his formative years in the book.

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The dad-of-one explained: “I wouldn’t say I’ve been given a green light, but you know, it’s a difficult thing because it’s their story as well.

“But I think, when you see the videos of me when I was 21, sort of shuffling around – the kind of brightness of those videos and those songs, it’s kind of hard to believe I was raised the way I was.”

He went on: “My dad had some issues with, probably, mental health. I think if he’d been diagnosed today he’d have gone in for treatment, and that wouldn’t be an issue today. But going back a generation there was no way he was going to do that."

The singer went on to detail the erratic behaviour of his father, including his struggles with his temper and dramatic mood swings.

He explained: “One minute he would be really happy, singing Frank Sinatra and whistling how life was great, and the next he would be unbelievably dark.”

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Meanwhile, the family home was swapped out for a rudimentary cabin in the middle of a field during a venture in setting up a garden centre. Rick explained how this impacted his school life, adding: “In the summer holidays, it was great.

“But the minute you had to go back to school, and there’s someone shouting from the back of the class, ‘Miss, Rick Astley lives in a tin hut’, it’s a bit embarrassing to say the least.”

Despite the friction in the household, Rick spoke about his complicated feelings towards his father, noting that amid the chaos, their father’s love was unmistakable.

He candidly confessed: “I actually think if he was a pure b*****d all the time it would have been easier to deal with, but the fact that he really loved us and showed us that as well was what was really psychologically hard to get your head around.”

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While the star spoke about his passion for music and his successful career, he became increasingly emotional. The Cry For Help star recounted seeking “normality” during a time when he did not want to “live in a tin box in a field.”

Soon after his 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up topped the charts, a local bank manager in Warrington had him over to share the substantial sum of money dropping into his account.

As he shared the touching story, he began to choke up with emotion. Rick recalled: “I go upstairs and he says to me, ‘Do you know what’s in your account?’ and he showed me what was in my account and it was A LOT of money. I was 21 – maybe just turned 22 – and it was a stupid amount, like winning the lottery.”

The star struggled to hold back tears as he shared his profound realisation. He went on: “And I thought, I’m saved. Music has just saved me.

“I don’t have to go back and live in that way ever again, this is my life now and I can choose what I want. It meant a lot to me, because music has saved my life.”