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Metro
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Rock star, 69, unsurprised by secret love child after sleeping with ‘millions'
An English singer has admitted he wasn't shocked discovering he'd fathered a child in the 80s due to his promiscuity. Billy Idol – real name is William Michael Albert Broad – first achieved fame in the 1970s London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X. After embarking on a solo career, he released hits like Dancing with Myself and Rebel Yell but spent years out of the public eye in the latter half of the 1990s. Away from the spotlight, the 69-year-old has never married, but was previously in a long-term relationship with singer and dancer Perri Lister. They share son Willem, 36, while Billy also daughter Bonnie, 35, with Linda Mathis. It was just a few years ago that Billy discovered the existence of Brant – finding out he was actually a father-of-three through a DNA test. After Bonnie became a mother, she decided she wanted to find out more about her family tree and was shocked to be see a connection with Brant, whom she soon found out was her half-brother. The discovery forms part of the new documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this month. When speaking to iNews about finding out what it felt like to uncover he'd fathered a child during his 1985 tour Rebel Yell, he reflected on his hedonistic lifestyle at the time. 'Maybe a little bit, but the more I thought about it, I guessed there must be something like that,' he responded when asking if it had been a shock. 'We were going around in the '80s and '70s, just having knockdown, drag-out sex with a million people you didn't know. 'A lot of people in the rock world got children beyond their usual relationships.' He was then probed on whether he'd considered the possibility he might have other children he's yet to connect with. 'I think we would know about them now if there were,' he said. Billy, who is now a grandfather of four, went on to share he was now at a 'better place in my life'. He said the fact he was no longer a drug addict allowed there to 'be there' for his children and grandchildren. In the documentary Billy spoke about his children and how he wanted to make up for lost time. 'I really enjoyed being a dad. I always wanted a boy and a girl, and I finagled my way into a boy and a girl. In your own daft way, you've achieved what you set out to do,' he said. 'And I actually had a son that I didn't realise, who I fathered on the Rebel Yell tour without knowing it. So, I somehow finagled this as well.' Once his children met, he noticed how they all shared the 'same quirky sense of humour'. Meanwhile Brant said that after getting to know his dad, he now sees him as a 'man who loves his family'. Over the decades Billy has struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, including heroin and cocaine. In his 2014 memoir, he wrote about waking up in hospital after passing out in a nightclub several times. After collapsing outside a Los Angeles nightclub due to an overdose he ceased his drug use, deciding his children would never forgive him for dying of a drug overdose. He's not taken hard drugs since 2003, but Billy wrote in his memoir he continued to smoke cannabis and drank occasionally. Last year Bily reflected on how his sexual exploits inspired his 1982 hit Hot in the City. More Trending He'd just moved to the Big Apple from London, and was inspired by the club scene, drippingly-hot air and his own desires. 'I was literally hot in the city but also, I felt sexually alive. I was sexually hot,' he told Vulture. He then said his 1983 hit Rebel Yell was about being 'blazing hot' for a girlfriend, who he wanted to make an 'orgasmic cry of love for'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Ozzy Osbourne all giddy at Black Sabbath rehearsals ahead of epic farewell show MORE: X Factor legend breaks down in tears after being forced to cancel string of shows MORE: The Damned announce 50th anniversary show and are shocked they're 'still breathing'
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Billy Idol isn't surprised he has a secret son: I had ‘sex with a million people'
Oh, to be a lover. Billy Idol is addressing the realization that he fathered a third child. In a new interview with iNews, the singer, 69, admitted that given his promiscuous lifestyle, he wasn't completely shocked when he found out just a few years ago about his secret son, Brant, who was born in the 1980s. 'Maybe a little bit, but the more I thought about it, I guessed there must be something like that,' he said while laughing, 'because we were going around in the 80s, and 70s, just having knockdown, drag-out sex with a million people you didn't know.' 8 Billy Idol performing at the Pine Knob Music Theater in 1987. Getty Images 8 Billy Idol with his son, Brant Broad. Billy Idol/Facebook 'A lot of people in the rock world got children beyond their usual relationships,' Idol added. Idol went through most of his life believing he was only dad to son Willem Wolfe Broad, 37, with ex Perri Lister and daughter Bonnie Blue Broad, 35, with ex Linda Mathis. But thanks to a 23andMe DNA test, Bonnie discovered her half-brother Brant a couple of years ago. The 'Dancing with Myself' singer found out he fathered Brant with a woman during his 1985 'Rebel Yell' tour. 8 Billy Idol with his son Willem Wolfe. Penske Media via Getty Images 8 Billy Idol's daughter Bonnie with her husband and their two kids. Variety via Getty Images When asked if he's considered he could have other children out there, Idol told iNews: 'I think we would know about them now if there were.' The father-of-three also revealed that Brant works in construction. 'We're quite good friends, and I love him. He's a nice guy,' he said about Brant. 8 Billy Idol on stage at The Forum in Los Angeles in 1984. Sygma via Getty Images Idol, who has four grandchildren, explained that he's now able to be more present for his family. 'I'm all set up for that. I'm in a better place in my life,' he stated. 'In lots of ways, I've done everything I wanted, at least to my own satisfaction. And now I'm not a drug addict, I can really be there for them.' Idol first introduced his secret son to the world in 2023 when Brant joined the rest of the family for Idol's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony. 8 Billy Idol with his family members at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in January 2023. Getty Images Bonnie spoke about the journey of learning about Brant and welcoming him into the fold in Idol's 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead' documentary, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this month. 'My husband just surprised me with a 23andMe, with a DNA test as a Christmas present,' Bonnie shared in the doc. 'And then a few weeks later, I get the results back on the app and open it and I'm like, who is this? This Brant. And it says his info's like, New York, 1985, looking for my bio dad. I was like, 'What?'' 8 Billy Idol with his son Willem in 1999. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Brant, who was raised by a man he believed was his biological father, explained in the doc that his mom eventually told him about her encounter with Idol. 'I was like, 'Mom, is there a chance Mark might not be my biological father?' And she's like, 'Well, it's pretty crazy, but back in the day, we broke up and I actually spent a weekend with Billy Idol,'' Brant recalled. 8 Billy Idol at a hotel in Tokyo in 1984. Getty Images Brant also said that Idol treated him like his son after the truth was revealed. 'He's definitely showed me a lot of love,' Brant added, 'so I'm blessed.'
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Idol details near death experiences involving heroin and motorbikes
Rock star Billy Idol has opened up about a slew of near death experiences he went through during the mid-Eighties and early Nighties. The 69-year-old 'Dancing with Myself' hitmaker, real name William Broad, just premiered a documentary about his life, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, at the Tribeca Festival. As the film's title suggests, Idol had multiple scrapes with death in his youth due to heavy drug use. In the first scene, he references a near-fatal overdose in 1984 where he took heroin with some friends in London. After taking multiple lines of the Class A narcotic, Idol turned blue and was resuscitated in an ice bath. 'I nearly died that night. And the next day, we're on Top of the Pops doing 'Eyes Without a Face',' he told the iPaper of the incident. Idol moved to New York City in 1981 to pursue a solo career in music. His debut studio album Billy Idol (1982) became a commercial hit in the US with singles 'Dancing with Myself' and 'White Wedding'. He hadn't received the same warm reception in the UK and wanted his 1983 Rebel Yell album to be a hit at home, selling millions of copies like his music had done Stateside. 'I'm just glad I didn't die,' he said, 'because I had this great album and I wanted to come back to England and say – 'Now what do you think?' I nearly blew that. So I'm glad I lived through it.' Idol had so many near-fatal overdoses in the mid-Eighties that his father, an accountant, flew to America and staged an intervention. 'I needed someone to show me they loved me beyond the music,' Idol reflected. Yet, his father's love couldn't: 'I suppose when you're that young, you just don't see the red flags that much,' he said. In 1990, Idol was involved in a severe motorbike accident he was lucky to survive and almost saw him lose a leg. While in hospital, he was put on a main box that injected him with pure morphine every 12 minutes, which ironically helped him give up drugs. 'I thought, 'When are you ever going to be on something this pure again? Never,' he said. 'How high can you get? I think I'm there.''
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Rock star marks new album with appearance from special guest
Less than 24 hours after dropping his fourth album, musician Yungblud took to the stage to headline his second annual Bludfest music festival — and the singer brought out a very special guest to help him celebrate. The English rock star, real name Dominic Harrison, dropped his latest release Idols on Friday, with the album currently on track to be his third Number 1. The singer took to the headliner's stage on Saturday night to debut his new releases as well as sing some of his fan favourites. As his set drew to a close, the Cotton Candy singer revealed he had a surprise for the crowd. He teased the audience that he likes to perform with an 'idol' each year at the show. After all, performing an album named Idols wouldn't be complete without a cameo from an idol – and they don't get much bigger than Billy Idol. Fans were shocked when the Dancing with Myself singer joined Yungblud on the main stage to perform together. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. The pair teamed up to give an electrifying performance of Idol's 1982 hit White Wedding, which fans said was an incredible surprise. 'My jaw was dropped for the whole song and announcement,' commented one fan. 'I've said it before and I'll say it again: Dom is this generation's Billy,' another said. Following the performance, Yungblud told fans he would 'remember this night forever'. Bludfest is an annual music and arts festival founded by Yungblud in 2024. It was created as an affordable alternative to other festivals. Performers at the two-day Milton Keynes event included Denzel Curry, Blackbear, and Australia's very own Chase Atlantic and Peach PRC. Yungblud on the headliner's stage at Bludfest 2025. Credit: Supplied / Supplied
New York Post
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Billy Idol reveals he nearly died from a heroin overdose — and more bombshells from his new doc
His new documentary, which premiered at NYC's Tribeca Festival on Tuesday night, is called 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead.' And the snarling punk-rocker indeed suffered a near-fatal heroin overdose in 1984 after becoming an early MTV sensation with hits such as 'Dancing with Myself,' 'White Wedding' and 'Rebel Yell.' 'There was a moment there where, you know, I'd done what I set out to do,' Idol recalls of conquering the US after moving to New York in 1981. 'I was coming back to England … in triumph, and I nearly ruined it. 7 Billy Idol survived a near-fatal heroin overdose in 1984. 'I was basically dying, I was turning blue,' he says in new doc. Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA / 'We flew to London where we met a load of our pals that we knew,' he continues in the doc. 'They had some of the strongest heroin, Persian brown I think it was. Everybody did a line or so, and they all nodded out, except for me and this mate of mine. We kind of went, 'Well, that's funny.' So we did a few more lines.' But the overdose nearly turned deadly for him. 'I was basically dying. I was turning blue,' he recalls. 'So they put me in an ice cold bath, and I remember them walking me around on the top of the building, you know, on the roof.' Indeed, the artist born William Broad had been seduced by heroin as the '80s rock god known as Billy Idol. 'That's what was going on. The scene had embraced hard drugs really,' he reflects. 'A number of people were on it. [So] you know, you're wide open for it.' 7 Billy Idol rocked the red carpet at the Tribeca Festival world premiere of his new documentary. Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA / 'A lot of the people we loved were all heroin addicts,' adds Idol. 'Lou Reed wrote the song 'Heroin.' The New York Dolls were all heroin addicts practically. So we weren't thinking how dangerous it was. In fact, you're thinking quite the opposite. Maybe this could unleash something.' But, at 69, Idol has survived his severe drug addiction and lived to tell the tale. And he's still going strong, taking off his shirt to reveal a ripped torso after finishing a five-song set with longtime guitarist Steve Stevens — including 'Dancing with Myself,' 'White Wedding,' 'Eyes Without a Face' and 'Rebel Yell,' plus new song 'People I Love' — following his doc's premiere. Here are five more of the biggest revelations from 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead.' He wrote 'Dancing with Myself' after, yup, seeing someone dancing by themselves. Idol's breakout 1981 US hit, which was originally recorded with his band Generation X, was inspired from a night out on the club scene in Japan. 7 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead' traces the singer's rise from Generation X to solo stardom in the '80s. Serial Pictures 'We were standing having a drink, and we were watching this kid dancing with his reflection in the mirror of walls in this club,' recalls Gen X bassist Tony James, who co-wrote the song with Idol. 'And Billy went, 'Wow, look at that kid. Look, he's like dancing with his reflection.' And I went, 'Yeah, dancing with myself.' I'm like, 'Billy, that's gonna be a great name for a song.' ' True enough, Idol came up with the beginnings of a tune to go with that title. 'Literally, in the space of like two minutes, we wrote all the lyrics, just the two of us,' says James, 'and by the afternoon, we'd recorded the demo.' While trying to kick heroin, he turned to crack. Idol, who once even lived next door to his drug dealer, hid out at the Park Meridien hotel in Midtown Manhattan while trying get off heroin. 7 Billy Idol's longtime guitarist Steve Stevens is among those featured in the punk-rocker's new documentary. Serial Pictures 'And it's only when I really tried to give up heroin that I did start to smoke crack,' he says. 'And, yeah, it was a nightmare. I mean, it's horrible because I was seeing and hearing things. Like, people in the next room talking about me or above me.' Shortly after that, friends convinced him to go to the hospital to detox, and his father flew in from London to clean house. 'My dad believed everybody was a drug dealer,' says Idol, who is now 'California sober.' He finally kicked heroin after one wild final binge in Bangkok — and a run-in with Mel Gibson. Idol and his friend Harry Johnson went on vacation to Bangkok, Thailand in 1989, with the idea that it would be a drug-free trip. 'We started out just drinking and stuff, but after a week or so of that, we asked a cab driver if he could get us some coke,' recalls Idol. 'But he brought back this long, thin vial of this white stuff' that turned out to be heroin. 7 Billy Idol and Steve Stevens performed five songs after the premiere of the singer's documentary. Serial Pictures 'It was so strong that … you only needed a pin prick, and you were just as high as a kite,' he says. During his long 'zombie' trip, Idol had a strange celeb encounter. 'At one point, I passed out in the elevator with the elevator doors closing on me, and Mel Gibson was there with his family on holiday, horrified,' he recalls. 'The silver lining was I did put heroin behind me,' he says. 'It was too horrible, the whole experience. It actually really put me off.' He almost lost a leg in a motorcycle accident — and did lose a big role in 'Terminator 2.' Idol was hit by a car when he ran a stop sign at a Hollywood intersection on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in 1990. He broke his right leg, which was so badly damaged between his knee and ankle that he had to have a steel rod inserted, and fractured his left wrist in the horrific accident that required seven hours of surgery. 7 The documentary 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead' had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on Wednesday night. Serial Pictures It also cost Idol a big role in 1991's 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day,' with him being originally cast to play Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator T-1000 rival. But the singer couldn't do the required running. 'I just had a really bad limp, so I couldn't do it,' he says. 'But I wish I could've done it, it would've been incredible. And you never know where that would have led?' He discovered that he had another son several years ago. Idol, who has never gotten married, raised son Willem, 36, with former partner Perri Lister and daughter Bonnie, 35, with ex-girlfriend Linda Mathis. But several years ago he found out that he had a second son, Brant, 39, from a weekend fling. 7 Billy Idol originally recorded his breakout hit 'Dancing with Myself' with his band Generation X. Getty Images The discovery was made through a 23andMe DNA test that Bonnie did. 'And then a few weeks later, I get the results back on the app and open it, and I'm like, 'Who is this? This Brant,'' she says in the doc. A DNA test had also raised questions about who Brant always thought was his biological father. 'I was like, 'Mom, is there a chance Mark might not be my biological father?'m' he recalls in the doc. 'And she's like, 'Well, it's pretty crazy, but back in the day, we broke up and I actually spent a weekend with Billy Idol.' '
