Hucknall 'suicidal' over rape claim

Mick Hucknall has revealed that he came close to killing himself after he was falsely accused of rape.

The Simply Red frontman said he became very depressed after an unnamed secretary made the allegations in 2000. An investigation was later dropped but he was cautioned by police after cocaine and cannabis were found during a raid on his house.

He told The Mirror: "It was the only time in my life that I ever contemplated suicide. I thought, 'I just can't handle this, I can't leave the house, what will people think?' That was the lowest point in my life."

He also hit out at a law banning the woman's name from being reported in the press, saying: "Even now I think it's disgusting that the law meant my name was brandished around the world, even though I was entirely innocent, never charged or prosecuted, and the accuser was allowed to stay secret. It was beyond belief."

However, he conceded that the experience prompted him to stand back from his hard-partying lifestyle after 15 years on the showbiz circuit.

The 47-year-old said: "Maybe it was a kind of perverse favour because it was a wake-up call to where I was going. I remember thinking, 'This nightlife thing has got to stop - you're meeting crazy people, getting into crazy situations. It's time to get a hold of the reins and time to get yourself back together.'"