X Factor’s Anton Stephans hits back at accusations he LIED about difficult childhood for publicity: ‘His family fabricated this’

Anton Stephans has hit back at claims he fabricated a sob story to further himself on The X Factor.

For years, viewers have watched contestants burst into tears on camera as they recount harrowing experiences, in a bid to warm themselves to the public.

A report today claimed Anton had lied about being torn apart from his biological family at the age of seven and put into foster care.

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He previously said: “Those things in our past that are difficult. I don’t know if you can truly heal but you learn to live with them.”

However, it is claimed Anton did in fact live with his mother Pauline Nelson in South London, and his father Kenneth is said to be furious with his son for not telling the truth.

A source told The Sun: “Anton isn’t adopted, if he was he’d have adopted parents.

“No one knows why he is saying things like that. It’s all rubbish. He has been telling stories like this for years and it has finally come back to bite him.”

The singer has since hit out at the claims and is said to be extremely “hurt”.

An X Factor source told Mirror Online: “Anton is hurt and disappointed that his family have chosen to fabricate these stories about him.

“Anton has chosen not to discuss his adopted family publicly in order to protect their privacy.”

Claire Johnson, Anton’s biological cousin, added: “Anton has never lied about his upbringing – he was adopted as a child and raised by his adoptive parents in Sussex from the age of six to seven years old.

“Anton has always been open about being adopted but does not want to discuss his adoptive family in order to protect their privacy.”

Anton has also been accused of lying about his education – he claims he went to Marlborough College, the same school as Kate Middleton, and that he has a double first in History and English Language and Literature from Cambridge.

However, the university has no record of the performer ever graduating, according to The Sun.

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