'I was taking 50 pills a day': Kelly Osbourne reveals how she became addicted to opiates at 16

Kelly Osbourne

Troubled: Kelly Osbourne, seen this week, started taking Vicodin at 16

Kelly Osbourne has revealed how her battle with drug addiction began at the age of just 16.

The star first tried the opiate-based drug Vicodin at 13, after being prescribed it during a routine operation to remove her tonsils.

But it was when she began clubbing at 16 that she developed a habit, after being offered pills of the drug by an acquaintance.

'I was relaxed, tingly and happy. The next morning, I called the guy and bought two or three pills for about $20,' she writes in her new book Fierce.

Kelly's addiction grew serious when her mother, former X Factor judge Sharon, was diagnosed with cancer in 2002.

'I was trying to stay strong so I took Vicodin to hide the terrible sadness. But by this point, I was waking up and emptying six Vicodin into my hand.

'Soon I was taking 50 pills a day. Most people would overdose on ten.'

It was only when photographs of Kelly buying drugs were sent to the family home that her parents discovered her addiction.

Sharon and Black Sabbath star Ozzy searched her room - discovering 500 pills scattered around.

Kelly, now 24, was sent to rehab, for what would be the first of three stays.

A year later Kelly was sent to a psychiatric ward, where she finally managed to control her addiction.

But, despite saying the thought of relapsing makes her cry, she says there is a 'strong chance' it could happen again.

In her autobiography, serialised in The Mirror, Kelly also reveals what it was like growing up with famous parents.

With older sister Aimee and brother Jack she had a far from normal childhood - their babysitters were heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.

Kelly Osbourne

No normal childhood: Kelly with mother Sharon and heavy metal star father Ozzy

Her father fell asleep during parents evenings and entertained her schoolfriends by drunkenly chasing them in his underwear.

He occasionally went too far - once terrifying her young friends by dressing as a werewolf and locking them in the garden shed.

Another time he spotted Kelly was wearing a thong, and in front of her friends cut it off and pulled it from her jeans.

'I died of embarrassment and burst into tears,' she wrote.

The Osbournes

Difficult period: In 2002, while The Osbournes were filming their reality TV show, Sharon was diagnosed with cancer

In another incident her mother decided to wax 14-year-old Kelly's top lip. 

She found her daughter's protestations amusing, and the wax stuck solid while she was laughing.

'She did eventually pull it off but half of my skin went with it. To make it worse, she was laughing so hard she weed on me.'

But having outspoken parents also worked in Kelly's favour. When a school boyfriend dumped her for being fat he was soon confronted by her angry mother.

Her mother yelled: 'If you don't stop saying nasty lies about my daughter, I'm going to chop your d*** off and shove it down your throat.'

After that noone dared to say nasty things about Kelly.

What an embarrassment: Kelly, Jack and Aimee with their famous, and unpredictable, parents

What an embarrassment: Kelly, Jack and Aimee with their famous, and unpredictable, parents

On another infamous occasion her mother posted a box filled with human faeces to a TV reviewer who described Kelly and Jack as fat.

Now Kelly says her mother's influence is starting to rub off on her.

After a night out in London an over-amorous man tried to push himself on Kelly after she offered him a lift home.

'I pulled my knickers down and peed on his carpet.'

* Kelly's book Fierce is due out on September 3 from Virgin books, priced at £14.99.

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