Danny O'Donoghue reveals the heartache that drove him to walk away from The Voice

AFTER seeing Danny O'Donoghue on our screens every Saturday night for months, the singer seemed to vanish when he quit The Voice last July.

At the time he claimed: "My focus will be on The Script moving forward as we are about to embark on  the most important part of our career as a band.” But now the former show judge has admitted the real reasons he walked away from the BBC talent show. The Irishman said he was struggling through a time of terrible heartache after his mother almost died and  his hidden relationship broke down. His mum Ailish, 67, is still in poor health and devoted Danny has shunned the limelight to care for her. MENTOR: Danny spent two series as a judge on The Voice [BBC] “I flew straight home and we were told she might not make it through the night” Danny O'Donoghue He told the Sun: “She had a brain aneurysm on the base of her skull. I flew straight home  and we were told she might not make it through the night.  "We had weeks and weeks of care and being there for her.” Not only was there the crisis with his mum, but Danny's secret relationship also came to an end. He admitted that he has never been lucky in love and said: “I have a terrible track record with  relationships so I’m leaving it in the hands of my three sisters to find me someone.” Danny also found himself getting disillusioned with The Voice after BBC bosses said they wanted the show to be more entertaining and less technical. Jessie J, who also left the show after the second series, wasn't happy about the effects the show had on her career.