"I wanted to throw in the towel": Doncaster pop star Louis Tomlinson speaks for first time about mum's tragic death

The One Direction star lost his mum Johannah Deakin to leukaemia in December, days before the launch of his debut solo single Just Hold On.

During an interview with SiriusXM Radio yesterday he said: "It's not something that I feel 100% comfortable talking too much about but just quickly, when I first found out the news I kind of did want to throw the towel in."

"But it was my mum who said to me that I've just got to keep going, telling me very sternly that she wanted me to."

A few days after her death, the singer, 25, appeared on The X Factor to perform the song with Steve Aoki, earning a standing ovation from judges and the audience.

Show guru Simon Cowell called the singer "brave" after the emotional performance.

Added Louis: "It was tough, but I felt like it was nice for me to almost have a little send off for her."