Freddie Starr’s wife Sophie Lea tried to kill herself after ‘abuse’ and split from comedian to ‘protect her son’

Freddie Starr’s wife Sophie Lea has said she tried to kill herself after suffering abuse at the hands of her late husband.

The now 38-year-old, who was married to the comedian for two years, said she drove herself to the hospital after slitting her own wrists.

She said: ‘I would have much rather been hit than have to deal with the constant cruel words. He told me I was ­worthless, that I was absolutely nothing. He was massively paranoid.’

Sophie claimed the actor stopped her from leaving the house, and prevented her from speaking to her son Elliott unless he was present in case they ‘sent messages via their eyes.’

‘It was hellish. It’s hard to describe in its entirety of how bad it was,’ she recalled. ‘Mentally I was in a mess. I eventually had a breakdown. I was suicidal. I was also self-harming, cutting my arms and legs.’

She added to the Mirror: ‘He also said, “Go and get me a knife and I’ll f*****g do it properly for you.” I ended up thinking, “F**k you, you’re not doing it” and went and slit my wrist…I wrapped it up and drove myself to hospital.’

Describing it as ‘a genuine attempt to take my own life’, she claimed she split from Freddie to protect her son, who was 14 at the time.

Freddie died from a heart attack last week aged 76.

A police insider confirmed the news, explaining: ‘Freddie Starr died from a heart attack. There is absolutely no doubt.

‘He had a history of heart problems and the autopsy has revealed a heart attack was the cause of his death.’

Freddie’s body was reportedly found on the floor of his home in Costa Del Sol by a carer.

Since the news broke, a woman who believes she is the star’s daughter, wants to take a DNA test.

Jo Billam, 44, said: ‘I know how this will look – people will think I am after Freddie’s money. I couldn’t care less about that. All I want is to end the agony of not knowing who my real dad is.’

According to Jo, she discovered the news on her 16th birthday after her dad encouraged her to ask her mum about her paternity.

She told the Mirror: ‘I could not believe what I was hearing. She told me she was working as a ­waitress at a hotel in Bournemouth when one night Freddie Starr stepped in to save her from two punters who were harassing her.

‘They hit it off and a ­relationship formed from there.’

MORE : Freddie Starr’s ‘daughter’ wants DNA test to prove late comedian is her father

MORE : Freddie Starr to be buried with his mum in Liverpool after heart attack in Spain