Pop star Pete Burns was hard up and penniless before he died, it has been revealed.
Just days after it was revealed that the acid tongued songster had died of a heart attack, his former Celebrity Big Brother housemate George Galloway has revealed that Pete was in desperate need for cash.
According to the former MP the singer would occasionally as for a bit of financial help.
“Pete was really hard up,” George says. “I myself had to help him out of a jam or two.”
He added: “He had a lot of difficulties in his life, no doubt.
“He had a very bad operation on his lips in Italy and bankrupted himself with the legal costs of suing for compensation for an operation that went wrong.”
The pair first met when they appeared in Celebrity Big Brother back in 2006 alongside Michael Barrymore Preston, Chantelle Houghton and Jodie Marsh.
Jus recently, prior to Pete Burns death, Jodie admitted that she had had a terrible time in the house with Pete because she felt as though she had been bullied by him.
‘I was in there with the three worst people I could possibly be in there with, which was Michael Barrymore, George Galloway and Pete Burns, absolutely vile,’ she told Andy West.
“I was very weak, very emotional, very vulnerable, in a bad place and then I was basically harassed by three drag queens, all three of them.”
Jodie also confessed that her tim int he house had left her with nightmares about Pete that kept her awake at night.
“I swear on my mum’s life I had nightmares about Pete Burns’ face looming over me,” she said. “I’d wake up and see his big face looming over me and there’s nothing there.”
The former model also says she been asked to appear again on Celebrity Big Brother but has always refused, admitting: “Every year they ask me, I just say ‘No, sorry I’m busy.’ I want to make my own shows now. If I had nothing else on and needed the money I’d probably consider it.”
There have been a great deal of stars to lose everything after reaching stardom. Despite having millions – or even billions – in the bank, these celebs lost all of their money at one point.
Nicholas Cage
Eccentric A-lister Cage reportedly blew close to £100m on decade long-spending spree that saw him snap up a castle, rare albino snakes, FOUR yachts and not one but two Bahamian Islands. When it was all gone the Oscar winner sued his financial advisors and was then hit with a $10m bill for back taxes.
Donald Trump
Surprisingly, Trump has declared bankruptcy on four different occasions. However, as it was corporate bankruptcy, his company could be bailed out of debt, whilst his personal fortune was protected. This therefore meant that he could carry on with his over the top lifestyle.
Pamela Anderson
Baywatch icon Anderson reportedly managed to get herself more than $1m in debt while renovating her Malibu home in 2009, forcing her to sell up. She’s twice fallen foul of the tax authorities, being hit for almost $2m unpaid taxes in 2010 and 2011.
50 Cent
The rapper, Curtis Jackson claimed in 2015 that his assets were worth $25 million but that two separate court-ordered payments and other high expenses had pushed him into bankruptcy. This included $2 million damages to Lastonia Leviston, whose sex tape, Jackson had posted online.
Stephen Baldwin
The youngest Baldwin brother had to file for bankruptcy in 2009. His home was taken away from him.
Michael Jackson
In 2005, it was estimated that Michael Jackson, whilst also having been charged with child abuse, was nearly bankrupt, with hundreds of millions of pounds in debt.
Kim Basinger
The actress and model lost all of her money when she was sued by Main Line Pictures for backing out of a film at the last minute in 1993. Although the expense was originally named at £5.2 million, it was finally settled at £2.4 million.
Mike Tyson
The heavyweight champion had to file for bankruptcy in 2003. His debts included a divorce settlement worth millions, and owing money to the IRS and British Tax Authorities.
Marvin Gaye
After filing for divorce from his first wife, Anna, Marvin was forced to file for bankruptcy. He even had to give her the rights to ‘Here, My Dear’ to cover the expenses he owed her.
Meat Loaf
Despite being one of the best-selling artists of all time, The Bat Out Of Hell legend filed for bankruptcy in the 80s after being sued by songwriting partner Jim Steinman. The pair’s cycle of collaboration and conflict is one of the longest-running in rock.