Julie Burchill has revealed that her "beloved" 29-year-old son Jack Landesman has taken his own life.
The columnist urged her friends to “look after the people you love” as she shared the sad news in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
In the public post, Burchill wrote:
Jack Landesman was Julie Burchill's son with writer Cosmo Landesman
"My beloved son Jack Landesman killed himself earlier this week. He is at peace now and in pain no longer and of course I don't believe that life ends with death, so I am lucky. Look after the people you love, as I tried to and failed. Thank you for all your good wishes and offers of support, but I have my Dan, who was a wonderful stepfather to my poor boy for more than half of his life. The love of my friends is a wonderful source of fun in my life, but excuse me if I don't need it right now. Always, Julie."
The 55-year-old followed up the post with the poem The Little Boy Found, by William Blake and the poem “Son”, which she says was written by the Russian Jewish poet Pavel Antokolsky, a year after the death of his 18-year-old son Vladimir.
Jack’s father is Burchill’s former husband, the writer Cosmo Landesman.
Burchill's first son Robert was the product of her marriage to Tony Parsons. The marriage broke down when Burchill began a lesbian relationship with Charlotte Raven, whose brother Daniel became her third husband.
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In a 2008 interview with The Jewish Chronicle, Burchill said: "In many people's eyes, what I've done has been a horrible way for a person to behave but I haven't had a single moment of regret.
"Every time I've left a family, I've gone on to be much happier. I have two sons, one I don't see and one who lives with me, for my sins. That's Jack, who's 22. He's the apple of my eye, my Achilles heel."
Julie Burchill announced the sad news on Facebook
Useful websites and helplines:
- Samaritans, open 24 hours a day, on 08457 90 90 90
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Young Minds offers information to young people about mental health and emotional wellbeing
- HopeLine runs a confidential advice helpline if you are a young person at risk of suicide or are worried about a young person at risk of suicide. Mon-Fri 10-5pmand 7pm-10pm. Weekends 2pm-5pm on 0800 068 41 41
- HeadMeds - a straight-talking website on mental health medication