Mum helped me through my crazy celeb world, says Metro’s Celeb of the year Louis Tomlinson
LOUIS TOMLINSON says he is able to navigate his ‘crazy celebrity world’ thanks to the skills he learned from his late mum. The One Direction hunk became a hit on our TV screens this year with his infectious overuse of the term ‘lad’ while judging The X Factor.
Louis went on to tickle fans with his banter when he was joined by former bandmate Liam Payne on the couch for Celebrity Gogglebox on Channel 4.
The 26-year-old said his lovable demeanour is all ‘natural’, adding: ‘It’s a combination of the way I was brought up by my mum.’
His mother Johannah Deakin died of cancer two years ago, hours before Louis gave a live X Factor performance. She was 43.
He says she left him with a sense of self-belief which he was keen to show off in his judging debut. ‘I didn’t go on being a character so it kinda took the pressure off me a little,’ he said. ‘All I had to do is be myself and be there for the contestants.’ Louis takes his boy-next-door mantra with him everywhere he goes, explaining: ‘I just have this inability to worry until the event.
‘I have always kept my friends very close to me. If I came out wearing a daft outfit, my mates would tell me about it and I would want them to tell me… you never lose that with your friends.’
Witnessing other celebs lose their way shows him how to keep grounded. ‘I have witnessed people become top dog in their friendship group — but why?’ he added.
Confident that he will never fall into that trap, Louis said: ‘I think I have good values. I just take how I am as a person into my life in this crazy celebrity world.
‘I still like to be respectful. I think it is important at a time like this to have the confidence to own our opinions and not follow.
‘It’s important you retain who you are. I am pedantic to that point. I didn’t grow up with a lot. I do have that luxury of not just seeing a spoiled life. I was lucky enough to be in a band like One Direction and it has shown me both sides.’
Author: Andrei Harmsworth
