[Vanessa]

Singer Alexander O’Neal has admitted the stress of appearing on Celebrity Big Brother drove him to taking crack cocaine in a terrifying drugs relapse.

After storming off the show three weeks ago, the soul star, 61, resorted to bingeing on the class A drug while staying in a London hotel. He paid for two deliveries from a young dealer in the space of 14 hours.

Yesterday the Criticize and If You Were Here Tonight singer vowed he would get clean.

In a statement to the Sunday Mirror, his spokesman said: “It has been extensively reported how this series of CBB has been one of the most stressful and volatile in the history of the show.

“It has been *documented in the past that Alexander has had issues that have led to him seeking professional help and treatment.

RexKatie Price and Alexander O'Neal 'Celebrity Big Brother' TV showKatie Price and Alexander
“This was a momentary relapse, completely out of his recent *character and behaviour and he will certainly be addressing and dealing with this immediately.

“Alexander has a lot of positive projects to look forward to over the next few months, including a tour and new material he is working on, and hopes this momentary lapse will not interfere with those.

“He asks his fans to forgive him and apologises if he has let any of you down.”

O’Neal has been staying in the hotel near Wembley Stadium since he left the Big Brother House after calling gossip blogger Perez Hilton a “********t”. Between visits to the recording studio with the likes of Basement Jaxx and meetings with X Factor finalist Jay James, O’Neal has fuelled his addiction.

Two weeks ago the star was photographed withdrawing £300 from a cash machine.

A dealer wearing a padded jacket later turns up at his room. The pusher then leaves in a waiting car before coming back the following morning.

As well as cocaine, O’Neal bought marijuana from him.

Alexander O'Neal enters the Celebrity Big Brother house at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, EnglandAlexander O'Neal enters the Celebrity Big Brother house
Staff said the star was a regular guest when visiting the UK. A source said: “He has been staying there at the hotel for weeks and always asks for the top floor because it is the only one you can smoke on.

“You could smell the drugs in the corridor. He has looked shocking when did come out.”

On Tuesday O’Neal collected his pay for CBB, which is believed to be worth up to £75,000.

And last week he signed a* *lucrative deal for a string of live performances across the UK later this year. O’Neal has previously told how he got hooked on cocaine when he hit the big time in the 1980s.

Before he left Big Brother he bonded with housemate Keith Chegwin as the pair discussed their addictions.

He said: “I’ve been in several treatments for drugs. Cocaine.

“The counsellor was saying, ‘You’re never going to get off the drugs unless you get that chip off your shoulder’.”