Tulisa Contostavlos has revealed how her life ‘fell apart’ in 2013, after she was set up in an elaborate drugs sting and arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.
On Wednesday night’s I’m A Celebrity, the N-Dubz singer, 36, confided in Oti Mabuse why she has largely been out of the spotlight for the past decade after her year from hell.
Tulisa emotionally spoke about how she was convinced she would spend four years in prison after Mazher Mahmood, also known as the Fake Sheik, a then journalist for the Sun on Sunday tricked her into giving him a contact from which he bought £800 worth of cocaine.
Recalling the traumatic event, the singer said: ‘2013 was the year I was set up by a British newspaper, for concern in the selling of class A drugs.
‘The guy’s name was Mahmood and basically, I was approached by a big movie company and they sent me a tweet or a DM from their official account to audition me for a movie role.
‘I’d dabbled in acting, so this opportunity for me was huge.’
Tulisa Contostavlos has revealed how her life ‘fell apart’ in 2013, after she was set up in an elaborate drugs sting and arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs
The case against Tulisa collapsed when it emerged that undercover reporter Mazher had attempted to suppress evidence from his driver (pictured in 2014)
Tulisa emotionally spoke about how she was convinced she would spend four years in prison after Mazher Mahmood, also known as the Fake Sheik, a then journalist for the Sun on Sunday tricked her into giving him a contact from which he bought £800 worth of cocaine
Tulisa revealed she was offered £3.5million for the role with promises she would star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. She was flown out to Las Vegas for meetings with producers.
She said: ‘They flew me out to Las Vegas, first class flights, limousines and 5 star hotels.’
When Oti asked if the film project was real, Tulisa said: ‘Oh no, I found out it was a lie.’
Tulisa said she was encouraged to behave like how the ‘girl in the role’ would to ensure she could play the part.
She said: ‘So I was told, as I wasn’t an actress, I was less likely to get the role and the only reason I would get it is if I was the girl in the role, and the girl in the role was this bad girl from London who was constantly up to naughtiness, rolling with gangs, up to all kinds of naughty stuff.’
Tulisa said Mazher had her ‘dangling at the end of a string’ with the meetings being ‘dragged out for months’.
She said every time she met up with them, they’d say to her: ‘We need some drugs.’
Tulisa said: ‘After months and months, eventually they got a number and it was of someone that wasn’t even a drug dealer, it was an aspiring movie producer and I wanted to make a hook up as well for that person, but I didn’t know anyone that could do that.
‘The long story short is they ended up ordering £800’s worth of cocaine from the number that I had given them. Then before I knew it, I was being arrested in the concern of the selling of Class A drugs and I was facing four years in prison.
‘I lost all my endorsements… my life fell apart.’
On Wednesday night’s I’m A Celebrity, the N-Dubz singer, 36, confided in Oti Mabuse why she has largely been out of the spotlight for the past decade after her year from hell
Recalling the traumatic event, the singer said: ‘2013 was the year I was set up by a British newspaper, for concern in the selling of class A drugs’
Oti said after Tulisa shared her story: ‘I feel really sorry that she’s had to go through so much, you can see that there’s a strength in her’
Tulisa was arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs and faced trial at Southwark Crown Court. The singer feared she would be sentenced to four years in prison.
She told Oti: ‘When it came to the trial, I’d had a conversation with one of their drivers, I was being recorded but I didn’t know, I was saying how anti-drugs I am, so they were very aware of my feelings towards drugs.’
Tulisa said the driver initially gave a statement confirming she was anti-drugs.
She said she thought: ‘That was it, I’m done for, I’m going down.’
But Tulisa said she prayed that night and the driver went to her lawyers and confided in them what had happened.
The case against Tulisa collapsed when it was alleged undercover reporter Mazher had attempted to suppress evidence from his driver.
She said: ‘The case fell apart… the friend I had was free, I was free, [Mahmood] was charged with perverting the course of justice and he was facing the same amount of time that I was facing and he ended up going to prison.’
Mazher was jailed for 15 months for perverting the course of justice.
The following ten years were ‘hell’ for Tulisa who had an entire future ahead of her ruined by the sting.
Oti said after Tulisa shared her story: ‘I feel really sorry that she’s had to go through so much, you can see that there’s a strength in her, there’s just an amazing woman, that every time you knock her down, she’s going to come back fighting’.
I’M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP
OTI MABUSE
Oti Mabuse has already two Strictly glitterballs under her belt
AGE: 34
OCCUPATION: Professional dancer
FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020.
DANNY JONES
Danny Jones is one of the bookies’ favourites to win this year’s I’m A Celeb
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: McFly singer
FAMOUS FOR: Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly.
He is also a coach on The Voice UK.
BARRY MCGUIGAN
Former boxer Barry McGuigan is heading into the jungle
AGE: 63
OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer
FAMOUS FOR: Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986.
GK BARRY
GK Barry is a TikTok star who recently joined the ITV family on Loose Women
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: TikTok star
FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel.
DEAN MCCULLOUGH
ITV bosses are hoping Dean McCullough will ruffle feathers in the camp
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: Radio 1 DJ
FAMOUS FOR: Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I’m A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views.
Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot.
JANE MOORE
Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women
AGE: 62
OCCUPATION: Journalist
FAMOUS FOR: Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002.
She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards.
Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow.
MELVIN ODOOM
Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021
AGE: 44
OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter
FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute.
He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016.
COLEEN ROONEY
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: WAG
FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy.
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history, exceeding Nigel Farage’s £1.5million from last year.
ALAN HALSALL
Alan Halsall is best known for his role as Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street
AGE: 42
OCCUPATION: Actor
FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I’m A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery.
Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap.
TULISA
Tulisa is making her career comeback after reuniting with N-Dubz last year
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: Singer and former X Factor judge
FAMOUS FOR: Tulisa reunited with N-Dubz last year for a tour after first finding fame with the band in 2007.
In 2011, she became a judge on The X Factor and went on to launch her debut solo album, The Female Boss.
She released her fourth album with N-Dubz last year.