Cheryl Cole Reveals Pain Of Visiting Brother In Prison: "It Hurt Like Hell"

10 October 2012, 10:23 | Updated: 10 October 2012, 10:35

The 'Parachute' singer reveals how she still hopes her sibling may "reform one day".

Cheryl Cole has opened up on the pain she felt after visiting her brother in prison and how she felt part of her childhood was "taken away" when he was locked up.

The 'Call My Name' star explained how she went to see her sibling shortly before her wedding to Ashley Cole and asked for him to change his ways.

Speaking in her autobiography Cheryl: My Story, published by The Sun, she admits that discovering her dad wasn't the real father to her brother Andrew sent him on a downward spiral into addition and crime. 

"When Andrew was 15 he stabbed someone in a fight. This guy had punched Gillian [Cheryl's sister] in a pub. Everyone was in pieces. People were talking about prison, and I was lying awake again, worrying myself sick," she said. "He got six years and was locked up in a young offenders’ institution to start with as he was too young for adult jail."

She continued: "I'd be 18 when he got out, so felt part of my childhood was taken away too."

The Girls Aloud star admitted how she though Andrew's time inside would possibly do him some good but he stayed on the wrong side of the law, eventually going back to prison.

"Unfortunately by the time of my wedding, he was in prison again. And to be honest I didn't want to know the details of his latest offence," she confessed. "I went to see him in prison before the wedding. 'Why can’t you stop?' I begged him. 'You're devastating the whole family. Why can’t you just change your ways?' 

"He shrugged and looked me in the face. 'I'm too far gone.' I left in floods of tears. I had the means to help him now if only he wanted to be helped — but he clearly didn’t. That hurt like hell."

The '3 Words' star revealed that she still hopes he may reform and put his life of crime behind him.

"He had 50 convictions by now, and was as addicted to alcohol and drugs as he was to crime. His life was bleak and hopeless. But I still dared to hope he might want to reform one day," she said.

During her autobiography, the singer also opens up on her ex-husband Ashley Cole's affair and her sacking from the X Factor USA.

Meanwhile, Cheryl and her Girls Aloud bandmates are reported to be making an announcement on their comeback next week after launching a teaser countdown on their official website and a new Twitter profile page.