Will Young - Will Young's Comic Treatment

Will Young thought having therapy was like being in a comedy.

The 'Hopes and Fears' singer struggled to cope with fame and, after fearing he was turning into a "loony pop star", sought help from a therapist and embarked on a week-long course to boost his self-esteem.

He said: "I had thought I was coping well with my job and being famous but I became scared of going out and meeting people. I was going into loony, reclusive-pop-star mode, which is very easy to do because you're always busy and people tend to do what you want.

"I went on the course and stood up and said, 'Hi, I'm Will, I'm a pop star and I'm not very confident.' It was like being in a comedy. But it was extremely valuable. I'm going on another one soon. I'm looking forward to it."

Will now sees a therapist regularly and says he has learnt to boost his confidence by always trying to challenge himself and face his fears.

He added: "At the risk of sounding like a self-help manual, it's about fulfilling your potential. That's surely what life's about.

"There's a part of me that so wants to be a recluse and not do anything that I push myself into mad situations just to prove to myself that I can do it."