Rick Astley breaks down on stage - Huge support from crowd as he wipes away tears

Singer Rick Astley became emotional as he recalled the moment that he feels his life was saved after a difficult childhood with his irrational father

Rick Astley broke down on stage last night.

The star became incredibly emotional as he opened up about traumas from his childhood.

The 58-year-old singer was appearing at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool as part of his book tour in support of his autobiography, Never, and speaking about the moment that the money started arriving after his debut single went to number one in the UK charts.

Rick had been explaining that his parents split when he was five and he lived with his dad, who would have been given support with his mental health these days but back in the early seventies, it was not a subject that was talked about.

After some difficult years living with his father's irrational temper, Rick became emotional when he spoke about the first pay cheques he received for 'Never Gonna Give You Up', as the song became a huge hit, reports Liverpool Echo.

Rick said that all he wanted from life was "normality" and not to "live in a tin box in a field", and he said that the hit in 1987, produced by pop masters Stock, Aitken and Waterman, gave him the security that he had been wishing for.

Becoming emotional on stage, Rick said that he was called in by his bank manager to review his account as the royalties began arriving: "I go upstairs and he says to me, 'do you know what's in your account?' - and he showed me what was in my account and it was A LOT of money. I was 21 - maybe just turned 22 even - and it was a stupid amount, like winning the lottery.

"And I thought I'm saved. Music has just saved me. I don't have to go back and live in that way ever again, this is my life now and I can choose what I want. It meant a lot to me, because music had saved my life."

Rick was supported by the 1,500-strong audience as the clapped their approval of the pop star as he wiped away his tears.

Previously., Rick had spoken about the tragic moments in his childhood that pulled the family apart. Rick was one of five children but his second eldest sibling died of meningitis. The singer felt that his parents never recovered from that and after they divorced, he was raised by his father.

Speaking about this, Rick told the audience: "My dad had some issues with, probably, mental health. I think if he'd been diagnosed today he'd have gone in for treatment, and that wouldn't be an issue today. But going back a generation there was no way he was going to do that."

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