Eddie Benjamin is worried about friend Justin Bieber's facial paralysis

Eddie Benjamin is very “worried” about his friend Justin Bieber after he was left with facial paralysis caused by Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

The ‘Sorry’ singer had to cancel a series of shows after being diagnosed with the rare neurological disorder, which occurs when the varicella-zoster virus infects a nerve in the head near the inner ear causing paralysis and hearing loss.

In a YouTube video posted last Friday (10.06.22), Justin told his fans the virus had attacked “the nerve in my ear, facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis. You can see this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril will not move”.

Eddie – who first Bieber back in 2010 – has spent the last four months opening for Justin on his ‘Justice World Tour’ and admits he felt “pretty stressed out” when he heard about his pal’s diagnosis.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday (12.06.22), Eddie said: “I called him straight away, he’s OK, he’s safe, he has a lot of people and doctors who really care about him and are around him.

“It was very worrying I’m not going to lie, I was pretty stressed out but I spoke to him he’s OK.”

The 20-year-old Australian muian readily admits he looks up to Justin, 28, as an artist and a role model and the biggest thing he has learned from his mentor is to stay true to himself.

Eddie said: “When he goes and performs he leaves his heart open, everyone can see that it’s very real, he doesn’t go on and try and act

“If he’s in a mood and it kind of comes across that way, it comes from the heart and I think that’s beautiful every night is different. “

Eddie hopes to exceed Justin’s record of two Grammy wins by winning multiple accolades at the US ceremony.

He said: “I want to win multiple Grammy’s and sell out arenas so definitely hyper focused on that.”

Eddie performed at the mu extravaganza and other artists to take to the stage at Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard included Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, KSI, Sigala, Mabel and many more.