Princes Harry and William inspired ITV's Tom Bradby to take time off work for his mental health
TV presenter Tom Bradby has credited the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex for encouraging him to speak openly about his mental health.
Speaking on the “Britain Get Talking Podcast”, the ITV News anchorman revealed how he had a “complete meltdown” two years ago due to crippling insomnia.
Bradby explained that he experienced his first panic attack prior to presenting News at Ten and had to lie on his office floor in order to recover prior to going on air.
The TV presenter, who has a close relationship with both Princes William and Harry, revealed how speaking to the royal brothers about his mental health inspired him to be open about what was happening with his employer.
Both brothers have been outspoken advocates for mental health in recent years, having launched their own foundation, Heads Together, in 2016 that unites eight mental health charities, including Mind.
Prince Harry has been particularly outspoken with his own experiences of grief in the wake of the death of his mother, the late Princess Diana of Wales.
“I did think that what William and Harry had done made a big difference to me,” Bradby said.
“I later said to both of them, ‘look, that really made a big difference to me personally.’ The things that you’d said definitely made it easier to say to my employer, ‘look, I’m not well. I’ve got to take three months off’.”
Before that, Bradby confessed he never would have missed work due to a mental health problem.
“I genuinely thought, I cannot not go into work because of a mental health issue, that’s ridiculous.”
Bradby travelled with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their trip to southern Africa in 2019 to film a documentary.
During filming, Bradby asked Meghan how she was coping with the negative media attention.
“Not many people have asked if I’m OK,” she told him before adding that it had been a “struggle”.
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