EXCLUSIVE: Multi-Millionaire Singing Star 'Being Unfairly Blasted' After Her Older Brother Was Spotted Living on Streets in a Tent and Begging for Food
A millionaire singer has been facing backlash after her brother was seen homeless and begging for food.
April 12 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Cheryl Cole is facing criticism after her estranged brother Andrew Tweedy was pictured living in a tent and begging for food – but sources have told RadarOnline.com the singer is being "unfairly blasted" as she's spent years battling to help her deadbeat sibling.
Brit-born Cole, 42, who rose to fame with Girls Aloud, grew up with Tweedy, 45, in Byker, Newcastle. He has now been seen sleeping behind a Morrisons store in Jarrow, South Tyneside, and drinking outside a supermarket from early morning.
Cheryl Tweedy Faces Backlash Over Brother's Struggles
Cheryl Cole was unfairly blasted after her brother was pictured living in a tent.
The sighting comes weeks after he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court, where he pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly on February 25. Police had been called after he was reportedly shouting and swearing at customers, later telling officers to "F--- off" and asking, "What are you going to do?"
Andrew Tweedy has admitted he is the type of person who takes "one step forward and 10 steps back."
Despite the images of him sleeping on the streets, including in a tent, prompting backlash against Cheryl Tweedy, sources close to the situation insist she has already done all she can for her car-crash of a brother.
Troubled Past and Recent Court Appearance
The 42-year-old singer reportedly spent years trying to support her sibling’s recovery.
One insider said: "Cheryl is being totally unfairly blasted over this by trolls saying she should spend some of her millions to help her brother.
"The truth is, she has spent years trying to support her brother, emotionally and financially, and at some point there's only so much one person can do."
Tweedy, who has 44 convictions for 115 offences including armed robbery, was handed a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £113 ($152) at his latest court appearance.
He told magistrates he wanted to turn his life around, saying: "I'm trying to fix my life and fix my problems. It's a process but it's all just starting."
Life on the Streets Despite Support
Andrew Tweedy, 45, was seen begging for food behind a supermarket in South Tyneside.
But within weeks, he was again seen living in a tent behind a supermarket, drinking strong cider and declining to engage when approached.
He said only: "I have slept outside Morrisons for a long time."
A second source said: "People see the headline and assume Cheryl has abandoned him, but that's not the reality. She's paid for rehab, she's stood by him, and she's been there every step of the way.
"The criticism ignores the fact that her brother has repeatedly refused or struggled to accept help."
A Complex Family Struggle Behind the Headlines
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Sources argued that trolls ignored the reality of Tweedy repeatedly refusing help.
Tweedy's history of addiction and offending stretches back decades. He has spoken openly about his struggles, including previous stints in prison and early exposure to substance abuse growing up in Newcastle.
In 2021, he revealed he had become homeless following a relationship breakdown and had been begging for months.
He said at the time: "This is what I'm f------ living like. I've been begging here for more than three months and it's something that has really broken my heart.
"I've got so much f------ pride. With the family I've got, I shouldn't be here. It's horrible.
"None of them have contacted me. Even though Cheryl's not helping me, she's still my family. She probably won't even know I'm on the streets, I don't blame her at all. This is the lowest I've ever been."
However, he has also acknowledged his sister's support in the past. Speaking from prison in 2008, he said she had tried to help him access treatment and remained committed despite his setbacks.
A third source said: "This is a deeply complicated family situation. The idea that Cheryl hasn't cared or hasn't tried is simply not true, the narrative that she's somehow responsible is what's unfair."
