Lionel Richie: I could have kidnapped Nicole

Lionel Richie considered kidnapping his daughter Nicole Richie when she hit rock bottom.

The 30-year-old developed a drug problem during her teenage years and early twenties. Nicole was also arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) on two occasions. The star has now cleaned up her life and is happily married to musician Joel Madden.

Lionel has spoken out about his fears for his daughter when she was growing up and his empathy for Cissy Houston – the mother of late singer Whitney Houston.

"You are trying your best, do I swim out and grab my child? Do I kidnap my child? What do I do? You realise that if the person is running away from you, then you have a real problem," Lionel told Access Hollywood. "There was one side of me that was absolutely shocked [by Whitney's death] and then the other side of me was more disappointed.

"I went through this with Nicole, you know… So you have to know that, and it's up to them to save their own lives…

"We can sit here all day long and point the finger, but actually at the end of the day it's a tragedy because somewhere along the line, she lost her footing and just couldn't get back.

"The little girl with the big voice - Whitney. I just stopped for a minute and cried. That was not the way the ending was supposed to go."

Nicole is now a successful fashion designer and features on the new US TV show Fashion Star.

She also has two children with Good Charlotte rocker Joel – four-year-old Harlow and Sparrow, two.

Lionel loves spending time with his grandchildren and can't resist spoiling them - even though Nicole doesn't approve.

"[Nicole] puts these rules down and then she gets Harlow and Sparrow to tell on me, 'Did Pop Pop do this?'" he laughed. "I'll try to go, 'Here's some candy, my brother.' C'mon, I mean, the candy is the best way to go. 'No, Pop Pop,' and then [Harlow] goes back and tells Nicole, 'Pop Pop tried to give us candy!'"