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Doctor Who and Marvel star debuts baby bump in glamorous red carpet appearance.
Virgin Radio
13 Apr 2023, 12:15
Trigger warning: Depression/Alcoholism
Comedian Josh Widdicombe has opened up about his mental health struggles which saw him suffering with anxiety and panic attacks. The 40-year-old has spoken up about starting to take antidepressants following a period where he was drinking himself to sleep.
Josh told fans on his Parenting Hell podcast about the peak of his battle which happened during filming for The Last Leg's Christmas Special in December 2022. Deciding to get some professional help, he said: "To give you an idea of what kind of place I was in then, I was drinking to get to sleep, I was having panic attacks."
Co-host Rob Beckett, added: "You were stretched beyond belief at home and at work, you'd committed to too many things, you were trying to please too many people at the same time, which ultimately led to you not enjoying life, and feeling stressed and fed up."
Josh continued: "I got to the point where I couldn't sleep, I was having panic attacks before I got into bed in the evening. It's been a long old journey.
"The whole thing was so absurd, there was this moment when I was on The Last Leg Christmas Special. I was dressed as Kermit the Frog, you know when Kermit the Frog is Bob Cratchit, I was feeling quite down at this point. Not even related to the outfit.
"I thought, 'I've never been so depressed.' It was a chemical imbalance. You've got to laugh about it because it's f***ing absurd."
Josh said that speaking to his GP was 'the best thing that's ever happened' to him. He said: "It sounds really scary, it sounds like admitting you've got a problem, and you can't fix it yourself.
"They put me on Escitalopram... the reason I think it's important to talk about this, is because I was almost embarrassed by being on them. You get two weeks of side effects as you went onto them."
The TV star soon realised other people were in similar situations and seeking help. He continued: "That’s when I first realised how prevalent it is, that people have had to go on this, and it's not talked about at all. One in six adults in the UK is on or has been on antidepressants. There is a huge stigma attached."
At Virgin Radio, we are committed to improving the wellbeing of our audience wherever possible. Whilst we ourselves are not Mental Health experts or qualified to directly assist those in need, we have compiled useful resources to help point you in the right direction, should you need help, at virginradio.co.uk/mental-health-resources.
Read here about ITV sharing a first-look at Paul O’Grady’s final series of For the Love of Dogs.
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