THE Apprentice finalist Tré Lowe has everything to live for with a baby on the way and a flourishing business.
But the 50-year-old music star had to navigate some much darker moments to make it all possible.
Tré, who first found fame in garage duo The Architechs in the late 90s and early noughties, has lived with multiple debilitating conditions such as tinnitus, derealisation, and Crohn’s disease, and earlier in life they threatened to get the better of him.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun on behalf of 10bet, he said: “I’ve lived a life of about 18 years where I didn’t quite give up, but my health was just continuously worsening.
“I kind of was living life by if my health gets bad, I jump the building. That was kind of my mentality.
“So I almost didn’t see a future for myself at that point in the darkest times.
“I think that’s one reason why I postponed being a dad because I was like, ‘well, what’s the point? I may not be here. I may not be able to cope with these conditions’.
“But I was able to think deep enough and to resolve a lot of my health conditions.
“So even though it’s delayed a little bit by about 18 years, I think you’re never too old to be a father or mother in that respect.”
Tinnitus is a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears often caused by long-term exposure to loud music, while derealisation is a feeling that the world is unreal and can feel like being detached from society, even those closest to you.
While the conditions nearly broke him at one stage of life, it was the recurrence of his hearing problem that spurred him on to make The Apprentice final.
He said: “Our very first task was in Scotland.
“I live in Notting Hill, which is a pretty noisy part of central London. Suddenly I’m in the Scottish Highlands and you can hear a pin drop.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”‘One day I’d be on Top of the Pops with Kylie and the next day I’d want to die,’ says The Apprentice’s Tre ” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6348007870112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“I hadn’t had to deal with tinnitus probably for about 15 years prior to that moment. In that moment it all came back. I had nowhere to mask it, nowhere to deal with it.
“I didn’t have a phone to distract myself with. And it was challenging. I think in that moment I knew I had to dig really deep.
“What was good about it is it started me in good stead in terms of this is not going to be a walk in the park.
“It’s going to be tough. And I like the challenge because I just raised my game.
“Like no one’s coming to save you mate. You’re not quitter. Yes it’s hard, your ears are screaming and the rest of it. But you know what, let’s go.
[quote credit=”Tre Lowe”]I think there is so much to be said about being an older parent. So much wisdom, so much knowledge[/quote]“And I think that level of tenacity is what saw me all the way through to the final. Like I knew in that moment I was going to get all the way to that final five. No question.”
Though no one could remove the return of the noise, Tré praised the BBC and production company Naked for providing welfare support, which he called “brilliant”.
Tré and his wife Enas Daeki, 34, announced their baby news in November, 16 months after their wedding.
Becoming a first time parent is daunting for anyone, but Tré believes his added years will come in handy, as will his career as a musician where sleep wasn’t always easy to come by.
“I think there is so much to be said about being an older parent,” said Tré.
“So much wisdom, so much knowledge. You’re calmer. You know yourself. You get yourself. You’re more established. Lots of pros.
“I’m still determined to be able to play football with that little rascal when he or she is of age. So yes, it’s about keeping well because I’m all about wellness. I just think it’s great. Everything happens at the perfect time.”
Tré certainly has his hands full.
Since starring in The Apprentice he’s launched Sobo Club, an events company for entrepreneurs, runs a property business and has been filming documentaries for the BBC about becoming a parent later in life.
This purple patch in part was inspired by the tragic loss of his brother Ashley in 2000, at the age of 49.
It encouraged him to take a leap of faith and apply for The Apprentice even though others discouraged him and felt it would damage his reputation as a musician.
“In 2020, if Ashley had not died, I would never have gone on The Apprentice. I would have just thought it was reality TV.
“I’m a cool musician. I’m going nowhere near that. But when my brother died, I looked at life different.
[boxout headline=”What is derealisation?”]Derealisation is a dissociative symptom characterised by a feeling of detachment or disconnection from the external environment.
Individuals may perceive the world around them as unreal, dreamlike, foggy, or visually distorted.
Common Causes:
- Stress or Trauma: Intense or prolonged stress, as well as traumatic events, can trigger derealisation.
- Mental Health Disorders: Commonly associated with anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, and dissociative disorders.
- Substance Use: Certain recreational drugs (e.g., cannabis, hallucinogens) or withdrawal from substances can induce derealisation.
- Neurological Conditions: Rarely, conditions such as migraines, epilepsy, or brain injury may contribute.
Treatment Options:
- Therapy: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and grounding techniques are often effective.
- Medication: Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may help if derealisation is linked to an underlying condition.
- Lifestyle Changes: Reducing stress, improving sleep, and practising mindfulness can alleviate symptoms.
“Sometimes life will throw things in front of you and it may not seem intuitive. But if it feels daunting or challenging, that’s exactly the path you should be taking. It was a risk for me going on a show like this.
“I had a reputation. And he answered to me like, what the hell? Why would you do that?
“Because people from music, it’s not the coolest thing to do to go on what people deem to be reality TV.
“But for me, I knew after losing my brother, I had to take a path in life of being absolutely fearless.
“And for me to go on there and talk about men’s wellness and talk about the wellness product that I was developing at the time, it just felt like a privilege.”