‘She just spiralled’

Alexandra Burke previously recalled the heartbreaking moment when her beloved mum ‘died in her arms’.

The singer – who is on Celebrity Catchphrase today (July 20) – shot to fame when she won the X Factor in 2008. Since then, she’s remained booked and busy, releasing several albums and also starring in a ton of musicals.

In 2017, she played Deloris Van Cartier in the Sister Act musical. However, as she was touring the UK, her mum Melissa Bell died aged 53.

The singer’s mum died in 2017 (Credit: ITV)

Alexandra Burke on her mum’s health spiralling

During an appearance on Elizabeth Day’s How To Fail podcast in 2021, Alexandra reflected on her mother’s death. The TV star also revealed her regret at not quitting the Sister Act tour when her mum had a stroke eight months before her death.

“When my mum fell sick it all happened so suddenly, she just spiralled,” she recalled.

Alexandra went on: “Everything was fine one minute and then all of a sudden she had a stroke. It was like she was two different people.

“I had eight months left and I sat her down in hospital and said: ‘Mum I’m going to quit the tour,’ and do you know what she said? ‘First of all I didn’t raise a quitter and she said you get your black [bleep] on stage. People have paid to watch you perform.’”

Alexandra ‘would sleep on the hospital floor’

Alexandra went on to share that she continued with the tour but had her phone by the stage so she could get updates on her mum’s condition.

“If something had happened to her I would leave the show and then I would drive wherever I was Manchester, Sheffield, I would sleep on the hospital floor, then drive back to London. I would see to family, stay the night and go back and do the show,” Alexandra said.

“I can’t tell you how amazing the NHS doctors and nurses when they sat her down and told her ‘you have 72 hours to live’, she gave us another eight months.

“She gave us another Christmas, a birthday each, a Mother’s Day.”

She spoke about her mum’s death (Credit: ITV)

Alexandra’s mum ‘died in her arms’

Alexandra then recalled the moment Melissa passed away. She shared: “Then the last day of my show, I finished in Blackpool, I was driving back to London. I got a call saying: ‘You need to come to hospital now.’ So I drove to hospital and, within 10 minutes, she died in my arms.

“So I lost those nine months, I regret going on tour. I regret it so deeply, I had so much time on the road rather than with my mum. I should have just told my mum: ‘Look you’re my priority, I want to quit the tour and be with you.’”

She added: “My mum wouldn’t have want it any other way but putting work first that is something now I won’t do at times. I was 29 when my mum passed away and I was so lucky to have my mummy for 29 years. What we shared, our memories we created together, money can’t buy that.”