No place like home as Susan Boyle to buy her West Lothian council house

Published on Sunday 26 July 2009 22:15

WITH personal assistants, a jet-set lifestyle and a debut album to work on, a rising superstar could be forgiven for forgetting their roots.

But Susan Boyle is reportedly making sure she does not forget her Scottish connections with a move to buy her West Lothian home.

The singer and runner-up on Britain's Got Talent is reportedly buying the council flat she has lived in since she was a baby, to maintain a link with her Blackburn roots.

Boyle's brother, Gerry, said his sister is in good hands and that the family gave music supremo Simon Cowell their blessing to catapult the 48-year-old into super-stardom.

He said: "Susan walked into the local council office and told them that although she was living in London she didn't want them to rent her house to anyone else.

"I think people were a bit shocked to see her. But they told her they had no plans to let it go to anyone else. And now she wants to buy it. She will never forget her roots."

A spokesman for West Lothian Council could not confirm Ms Boyle's purchase of her home, but added: "We are delighted Susan Boyle is proud to be from West Lothian and has strong ties to the area."

Mr Boyle said Cowell had Boyle's beloved cat Pebbles flown down to her new residence in Kensington, as well as giving her a credit card for shopping. She has replaced her wardrobe, had her teeth whitened and been given a personal assistant, named Julia. She is also trying to get to grips with a mobile phone for the first time.

A manager has also been appointed and SuBo, as she has become known, is reportedly already in a studio working on an album being put together with the help of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Last week, Boyle met her idol, West End star Elaine Paige, during an interview for American TV. She told her brother afterwards: "It was fantastic to be on TV with Elaine, When I watched the interview back I felt like a megastar for the first time. I can't believe how much my life has changed in the past few weeks. I am so happy."

He continued: "Susan absolutely loves the life she is leading now. But it has left her fearful of going back to how things were, living on her own and waiting for her singing dream to come true. She has asked me many times what happens if this all stops?"

Mr Boyle, who lives in Musselburgh, said he believes Cowell will look after his sister and that she is in the best hands.

He said the family needed the assurances that Susan would be protected.

Boyle went to the Priory clinic after the final of Britain's Got Talent suffering from exhaustion, and pulled out of some dates on the recent tour from the show.

She could net as much as 5 million from the first album, which may include the Ella Fitzgerald classic Cry Me A River and a duet with Elaine Paige.