Cosmopolitan Article on Bullying

Carrie Grant, 38, is the vocal coach on fame academy. she lives in north London with her husband David Grant, and thier children, Olivia, 9, and Talia, 2.

Bullying is about being different and not 'fitting in'. I was targeted by bullies bacause my family didnt have uch money when Iwas growing up. My parents separated when i was 7, and Istayed with mum in our home in North London. She had to work 3 jobs to make ends meet.

I always wore hand-me-downs to school and the clothes never fitted properly. Everybody noticed and the boys would say nasty things about what i was wearing. I was also the only person in my class that qualified for free school dinners, so i didnt get to go to the front of my class during registration and give my teacher 60p for lunch. I used to dream about doing that walk of self-worth; something to make me feel the same as everyone else. Most of the children got picked up after school, but i was a 'latch- key kid', as my mum was busy working. These two girls in my class would follow me home and thresten to beat me up. They taunted me for being poor and said my parents didnt love me. Even if i ran, they'd turn up outside my house and hang around. They never acctually hit me, but the treats were incredibly frightening.

I couldnt tell mum. she was under so much pressure, and for me to say i was being bullied because we were poor and because she was working, would have felt deeply ungrateful. The only way i survived the bullying was by going to a free dance clas twice a week, organised by the council. It was the only place i was accepted - being individual and creative was encouraged.

The bullying never stopped - I just learned to put up with it. mum remarried when i was 13, and we finally had some money coming in. I started to embrace my individuality and went out on a limb to look different. I bought my clothes from Oxfam and dyed my hair bright red. By my mid-teens, i realised being myself was Ok. I had a few friends and began to feel happy with myself.

Once Ii left school, my career soon took off. I danced on top of the pops for Duran Duran, sang with Diana Ross and taught take that how to sing. When Ii look back now, I think it was the bullying that made who I am - because of it, im emotionally strong. Its funny that, as a child, its all about being the same and fitting in but, as an adult, individuality is celebrated. It just a terrible shame you dont know that when youre young.