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Linda Robson has shared how she appreciated Denise Welch’s support after enduring an intense two year battle with her mental health.
Talking to Express.co.uk last night on the red carpet at the TV Choice Awards, Linda said: “Denise has been very open about her depression. We’re very honest and very open [with each other],” describing her as a “big support”.
“I had really bad depression and anxiety and I was on suicide watch for quite a long time, for two years [which were the worst years of my life,” Linda candidly continued. “If you’d ever said that would happen to me, I’d have said ‘No, I’m the strong one, I’ve been able to look after my family all my life’ and then [it did].”
She put the experience down to being “on the wrong medication”, but is glad she’s been able to speak out, as it has prompted others in the same situation to do the same.
She explained: “I’m very honest, sometimes it gets me in trouble, but it’s almost like a form of therapy.
“I’m an ordinary woman but extraordinary things have happened to me!” Meanwhile, Linda also chatted about her ambition to become a cast member on EastEnders.
Although she says she’s not looking to date anyone in real life, the Loose Women star has ideas for who could play the love interest of her character if she does join the soap. “I haven’t seen it for so long [but] it would have been Mike Reid from years ago, remember Mike Reid?” she enthused.
The actor historically played Frank Butcher on the soap, joining in the late 80s and becoming the landlord of the Queen Vic pub.
Mike acted out a depression storyline himself at that time, but then took a break from the show due to the stress the intensity of the role was causing him.
He then returned in the mid 90s, only to finally leave in November 2000 after he was caught by wife Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) after rekindling his affair with ex-wife Pat (Pam St Clement).
Like Linda, the late actor suffered deep sadness in his personal life, with his son Mark killing himself in 1990 by dousing himself in petrol.
Then, in an equally tragic twist, his young daughter died due to cot death just four months later.
He later spoke of his grief to The People, explaining: “People must see me on the TV or in cabaret laughing, singing, cracking gags and imagine that time has healed the pain and the scars. If only they knew.”
Meanwhile, Linda has unveiled her own depression journey via her new book, Truth Be Told: Tales of A Baggy Mouth – and is hoping a stint on EastEnders could be an exciting new project to focus on.
Revealing that her ambitions could well become reality if someone has a word about her, she explained: “One of our bosses at Loose Women is best friends with the producer of EastEnders…”
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Source: NewsFinale
