EMMERDALE star Jay Kontzle has opened up about the family tragedy that rocked him when he was just a child.

The actor, 34, has spoke about how his mother Louise died in a car accident when he was four years old.

Louise, 23, was a DJ at Manchester’s legendary Hacienda club at the time and was killed on her way to a gig.

She had been raising Jay as a single parent but thankfully his grandparents jumped in and raised him.

Jay, who has three children of his own, has now shared his gratitude for Ann and Mike Kontzle “giving up their lives” and stepping in.

His nan Ann even had to take on two jobs to financially support Jay throughout his childhood.

Speaking to The Mirror, Jay said: They gave up their whole lives to push me forward.

“They got nothing for it and had no reason to do it other than their love for me.

“I would have been put in foster care and not enjoying the life I have now if my grandparents hadn’t taken me in.”

Jay went on to say his grandparents’ support coupled with therapy was “life-saving” for him.

He said he felt “valued as a kid” as he took part in toy therapy.

Jay spoke to the publication in connection with Mental Health Awareness Week.

Jay has played Billy Fletcher in Emmerdale since December 2018.

He had previously worked as a teaching assistant and dabbled in a pop career with boy band The Mend.

The group was formed by Take That mastermind Nigel Martin-Smith in 2008 but they failed to hit the big time.

In 2011, Jay and his The Mend bandmates – Kris Evans, Dean Kelly and Craig Worsley – made it to boot camp on The X Factor.

The group then went on to make it to the semi-finals on Britain’s Got Talent the following year.

Now in Emmerdale, Jay is currently at the centre of a huge storyline that has seen his character Billy arrested for Joe Tate’s attempted murder.

It comes after he discovered the bad boy had been romping with his wife Dawn Taylor behind his back.

Jay told The Mirror he identifies with his character Billy, who together with Dawn are trying to protect their adoptive daughter Clemmie amidst the drama.

Clemmie, whose real mum was a drug addict, is believed to be Joe’s real attacker after she was told by the menace that she would ‘go back into care’ if she exposed his affair with Dawn.

Jay explained: “Although Dawn is not related to Clemmie, she was her mother’s friend who stepped in to look after – rather than see her in foster care, so it’s very similar to kinship care.”