May 11th 2024.
Being a Eurovision star wasn't always a breeze for Olly Alexander. As he prepares to represent the UK in tonight's Eurovision with his song "Dizzy," the 33-year-old singer opened up about his experiences with the education system in the country. In fact, he even went as far as to say that he wouldn't send his own children to school.
Aside from being a trailblazing pop star with three successful albums under his belt, including two UK number one albums and 10 Top 40 singles, Olly has also made a name for himself as an actor. His performance in the Russell T Davies TV show "It's A Sin" even earned him a BAFTA award. As he gets ready for his Eurovision performance, Olly reflected on his journey to fame and shared how he struggled during his school years.
This has led him to consider homeschooling his future children to spare them from the same difficulties he faced. But before he takes the Eurovision stage, Olly invites fans to join the Metro's Eurovision community on WhatsApp for an exclusive look at all the drama and iconic moments from the live shows.
Olly's school days were far from easy. "I was confused a lot of the time, thinking I didn't fit in anywhere and I didn't know why," he recalled. "When I was really young, I wanted to have long hair and wear make-up, but I quickly realized that didn't go over well with other kids, especially the boys. They would make fun of me and call me a girl in a negative way, so I was just really confused and hated going to school because of that."
But things have definitely turned around for Olly since then. "I don't think I'll have kids, but if I did, I wouldn't want to send them to school. I'd say, 'You're not going, you're staying at home with me, you've got singing at nine and crystal therapy at ten!'" he joked. After leaving school, Olly has found success as a celebrated musician and actor, headlining arenas and festivals and collaborating with big names like Sir Elton John, Kylie Minogue, and Pet Shop Boys.
In addition to his music career, Olly also recently appeared in an episode of "EastEnders" and now he's gearing up for his Eurovision performance. But this year's competition has been met with controversy, with increased pressure to withdraw Israeli representative Eden Golan due to the country's ongoing attacks on Hamas and Palestine. Golan was even forced to change the lyrics of her song, originally titled "October Rain" in reference to the October 7 attack by Hamas, to "Hurricane."
The pressure has taken a toll on Olly, who revealed that he's had moments where he felt close to a breakdown. "I was holed up in a room trying not to have a breakdown," he shared with The Times. "Normally you get on stage and turn it on, but I felt really unable to do that. It was tough...I just could not get it together and then I felt ashamed of myself and embarrassed."
Despite the challenges, Olly still believes in the power of bringing people together through entertainment. "I wish for peace and have found this experience, at times, extremely...I've just felt really sad and distressed," he expressed. "But I still believe it's a good thing when people come together for entertainment. That's why I wanted to do Eurovision."
As Olly prepares for his Eurovision performance, he invites fans to share in the experience on WhatsApp and promises to keep them updated on all the latest news and behind-the-scenes gossip. Join the Eurovision community now by following the link and selecting "Join Chat." And if you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, don't hesitate to reach out to the entertainment team at The Agency - they would love to hear from you.
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