The late Tom Parker recalled how being bullied in his childhood led to his incredible career as part of The Wanted in his memoir Hope: My Inspirational Life.
Tom was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in October 2020 and tragically passed away at age 33 in March this year, leaving behind his beloved wife Kelsey and their two children Aurelia, two, and one year old Bodhi.
The singer wrote that he suffered at the hands of bullies as a child as he was called names due to his height as well as "Saj after the kid from the film East Is East," thanks to the parka he wore back then.
"I literally wasn’t called Tom throughout the whole of my time at school," he wrote.
Calling it "general toxicity", Tom explained that he had to put up with a great deal in order to try and be accepted by popular children, but "learned the hard way that the key to a more fulfilling lifestyle is to just be yourself".
"The final straw came when my backpack full of GCSE work was stolen in Year 11, and it took me a week to get it back," he continued. "By the time I discovered my notes all over the muddy cricket pitch, none of it was readable any more."
Tom shared that he had to hold back his tears as his mum found out about what had happened – but it was this time of his life that led him to learn the guitar with the help of his brother.
He then taught himself how to play Wonderwall by Oasis as he shared: "That song kick-started my whole interest in music."
At the age of 16, he decided to audition for The X Factor, but was left deflated by the rejection and didn't sing for six months as a result.
He then entered a karaoke competition at a pub called Bolton called The Swan, where he walked away with £1,000 after performing Elton John’s Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.
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Tom was spotted by a member of Take That II, a Leeds-based tribute act, who signed him on to star as their Mark Owen.
In 2008, he saw an advert by Jayne Collins Casting for an open audition for a pop group, which he described as "fate".
He asked his mum for his birthday money early to get the train for the audition, but she believed it was either a scam or he was going to get "p***ed". Instead, he took a £1 Megabus and before he knew it he was picked as one of the five for the band.
The Wanted
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"I was definitely part of this new boy band that was about to begin its journey towards pop superstardom," he shared.
Tom said his mum couldn't believe what he had achieved until he held a copy of The Wanted's debut album All Time Low in her hands.
He "cried like a baby" when The Wanted reached the top of the charts in October 2010 and added: "That’s an achievement that nobody can ever take away from us. The Wanted will forever be UK No 1 recording artists."
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