YouTube star Zoella found debut novel criticism 'terrifying'

YouTube star Zoella has told how she found the outcry over revelations she did not write her debut novel alone "terrifying".

The vlogger, whose full name is Zoe Sugg, 25, came under fire when it emerged she used a ghost-writer to help pen her book Girl Online, which became the fastest selling debut novel ever when it was released last year.

She quit the internet for a spell as she faced criticism she had not made it clear she had enlisted the help of author Siobhan Curran for her book.

Speaking to the Daily Mail's You Magazine, she said: "It was terrifying actually.

"One minute I was sitting in my bedroom with my viewers - and then all that!"

But she insisted she had not misled her legions of fans, telling the magazine: "It was well known among my viewers that I had an editorial consultant and an editor long before I even began writing the book."

Zoella has more than 9.3 million subscribers to her YouTube channel and over 3.8m followers on Twitter.

What started out as a few home-made video blogs about shopping and make-up tutorials have turned into big business.

Her Zoella beauty range at Superdrug has broken sales records, and she has just released her second book, Girl Online On Tour.