Former X Factor judge and singer Tulisa Contostavlos was put on suicide watch by her manager Jonathan Shalit, after reports of her alleged involvement in a cocaine deal made the news.
“She got to the point I was worried she would commit suicide” he said at a Media Crisis session at the Edinburgh Festival.
“I made sure that someone was at her house for two consecutive nights to make sure she did nothing stupid, because she was literally at that point of she genuinely thought her life was over.”
Shalit said that it was triggered by an online abuse campaign that was targeted against the singer.
“You can imagine it’s horrific because many people at home, including my mother, believe the press,” he said.
“If you pick up the Daily Mail or the Sun or the Telegraph, they believe it. So when the front page of the Sun says ‘Tulisa drug dealer’ my mum called me in complete horror believing it.”
“People give opinions day in and day out on social media, particularly when you’re young, and so the vileness that attacks you is horrific” he continued.
“I think it’s worse now if you’re younger because young people completely live their life through social media.”
“People take it very personally what social media says. They don’t realise it’s disposable immediately and they really believe it.”
Tulisa is currently on bail after being arrested over claims she was involved in a drug deal.
She denies the allegations and is waiting to see whether prosecutors will press charges.
