Olly Murs has revealed he ‘struggled with loneliness’ after becoming estranged from his twin brother Ben.
The Troublemaker singer, 40, missed his brother’s wedding in 2009 to take part in the semi-final of The X Factor and the pair have not spoken since.
Now Olly has admitted he struggled to make it on his own in the years that followed their sudden split.
He told The Saturday times: ‘If you have been in the womb with someone, you struggle with loneliness. I had to deal with it when my twin brother and I started living our own lives.
‘I desperately wanted to be among people, I couldn’t sit in a room alone.
Olly Murs ‘struggled with loneliness’ after becoming estranged from his twin brother Ben (pictured November 2022)
The Troublemaker singer, 40, missed his brother’s wedding in 2009 to take part in the semi-final of The X Factor and the pair have not spoken since.
The Heart Skips A Beat hitmaker tied the knot with Amelia Tank in the summer of 2023 and they recently welcomed baby Madi, but he admitted that during the years he was single he had to learn to enjoy being alone.
He added: ‘When I was single for three years I had to learn to love my own company. Then I met Amelia.”
Olly gave no indication as to whether he and his brother will ever speak again, but did say that his life’s goal now is to be the best husband and father he can be.
He added: ‘My goal in life is to be a great husband and father – that’s where my future lies. I would like my career to stay as it is, but when you get married and become a father, you just want to be the best for them.”
But it’s not just Olly who has left his brother behind, with Ben also distancing himself from his parents and their sister, as the Dear Darlin hitmaker admitted: ‘Christmas has never been the same since.’
Speaking about their feud, Ben told MailOnline in January 2017: ‘I had a very good relationship with my parents, but fame and greed changed everything.
‘My parents wanted this bright, shiny Olly with the money that can give them the VIP lifestyle. They loved hanging out with Simon Cowell, or going to Bon Jovi concerts – they loved their VIP selfies.
The Essex star shot to fame as a finalist on the 2009 edition of the ITV competition series (pictured with Stacey Solomon and eventual winner Joe McElderry)
The pair haven’t spoken since Olly shot to fame on the ITV talent show (pictured together before their feud)
Ben is also estranged from his parents and adopted the surname Hart from his wife Amy after tying the knot in 2009.
Olly met Amelia Tank (pictured) in 2019 and they married in the summer of 2023
Former voting judge and bodybuilder Amelia, 31, announced the arrival of their daughter, Madison, in April
‘I’m not interested in that, I have a beautiful life with my wife and children.’
But Olly still wants to make amends with his brother at some point.
In burying the hatchet, the media personality explained, “I still want to make that change with my brother.”
When Lorraine asked Kelly in 2018 if he thought the rift could ever heal, Olly said: ‘I hope so of course, it’s crazy because every year I think about it, (will it be) nine years, ten years.
‘I did send him a text for his birthday, but he changed his number. Christmas has never been the same again.’