Chico: 'I was bullied at school'
X Factor star Chico Slimani has revealed how bullying left him feeling lonely and miserable as a child.
The 35-year-old said he was picked on between the ages of seven and 11 by a group of older boys when he was growing up in Morocco. He said they used to beat him up and steal his money as he made his way to school.
Chico, who had a number one hit earlier this year, said his ordeal only came to an end when he confided in an older relative who was able to put a stop to it.
The singer, who rose to fame when he reached the semi-final of the X Factor show, told children at an East London primary school that the best way to stop bullying is to tell somebody about it.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign for Anti-Bullying Week he said: "The main thing is yourself not to be a bully and the second thing is if you see someone being bullied you must tell someone.
"It is the most terrible, miserable thing for a kid to go through. A lot of bullies want to be cool but they are not being cool. To be cool is not to be a bully."
He added: "I would say to those who bullied me, 'look who is having the last laugh now I'm the star'."
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