'We were lucky to get out': Rita Ora reveals she was taken from her parents and put into care when family arrived in UK as refugees

By Rebecca Davison for MailOnline

Published: 04:55 EST, 26 October 2015 | Updated: 07:49 EST, 26 October 2015

Rita Ora has had a meteoric rise to fame but her life has been anything but easy. 

In a new book, Hot Right Now, which has been serialised in The Sun, the 24-year-old reveals that she was taken from her parents, Besnik and Vera, and put into care when she was a year old. 

Her mother and father had fled from Kosovo to escape the war in Yugoslavia, along with her then three-year-old sister, Elena, but the girls were put into a home while their status was assessed. 

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Sad: Rita Ora reveals that she was taken from her parents, Besnik and Vera (pictured) and put into care when she was a year old - after the family arrived in the UK from Kosovo as refugees

Sad: Rita Ora reveals that she was taken from her parents, Besnik and Vera (pictured) and put into care when she was a year old - after the family arrived in the UK from Kosovo as refugees

Rita said: 'We were sent straight to the children's home, me and my sister, because my mum and dad were refugees and so were we. 

'We were lucky to get out. The airport was closing down and they weren't letting anyone leave by that stage. We were on the last flight out, it was pretty scary for them.'

Years later, Rita tried to carve a career for her herself in music, but after quitting school, her father gave her a year to succeed in the field, or else she would have to return to college. 

Rita said: 'We were sent straight to the children's home, me and my sister, because my mum and dad were refugees and so were we' - her father Besnik pictured in March 

Rita said: 'We were sent straight to the children's home, me and my sister, because my mum and dad were refugees and so were we' - her father Besnik pictured in March 

She said: 'I didn't speak to them [properly] for a few years so I had to find my way. I was like, "I need to sing!"'

Yet while her relationship with her family is all good now, her grit and determination have seen her become one of the UK's biggest stars. 

Currently one of the judges on this year's X Factor, she has been busy choosing which acts to send through to the live shows. 

Adding: 'We were lucky to get out. The airport was closing down and they weren't letting anyone leave by that stage. We were on the last flight out, it was pretty scary for them'

Adding: 'We were lucky to get out. The airport was closing down and they weren't letting anyone leave by that stage. We were on the last flight out, it was pretty scary for them'

She tweeted on Sunday, 'Oh my god. Decision time. I feel sick. What shall I do guys? #XFactor.' 

Looking after the Girls category, the singer, who used to date Calvin Harris, chose Louisa Johnson, Lauren Murray and Keira Weathers as her contestants. 

She made her decisions following a stint at Judges' House where she enlisted singer/songwriter Meghan Trainor, to help her make up her mind. 

Hard job: Currently one of the judges on this year's X Factor, she has been busy choosing which acts to send through to the live shows

Hard job: Currently one of the judges on this year's X Factor, she has been busy choosing which acts to send through to the live shows

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