LOOSE Women star Frankie Bridge has shared a raw and emotional glimpse into her ongoing battle with depression in heartbreaking videos.
The Saturdays singer, 36, posted two videos to Instagram laying bare the everyday struggle she faces with her mental health.
In the first clip, Frankie could be seen walking through her garden as she captioned it with a brutally honest caption.
She said: "Sometimes this is what depression looks like.
"Sitting on the sofa all day in your pjs. Then being so fundamentally fed up of your own shit, you finally find the strength to make it to the gym.
"Quick shower and back to the sofa and pjs. Better than nothing."
The second video showed Frankie sitting on a gym mat, hands on her knees as she tried to take deep breaths.
She appeared on the verge of tears and said in the caption: "Spent a lot of the time psyching myself up and trying to quiet the noise in my head.
"Today it's telling me I'm a worthless waste of space."
The mum-of-two – who is married to former England footballer Wayne Bridge – has never shied away from being open about her mental health.
She has spoken openly about her depression and anxiety for more than a decade, and previously revealed she was hospitalised at her lowest point.
Frankie takes medication to manage her condition and described herself as living with "treatment-resistant depression" – meaning she often needs a combination of medication and therapy to get through the day.
She has undergone ketamine therapy, which she said helped but it is costly and not widely accessible.
The star, who first found fame in S Club Juniors before topping the charts with girlband The Saturdays, joined ITV's Loose Women as a permanent panellist in 2021.
Frankie has previously said she wants to break the stigma around talking about mental health, insisting: "I'm not weak – I'm ill."
Frankie opened up about her illness in her memoir, writing: "In my late teens and early 20s I'd had medical help… tried three different antidepressants – Prozac, venlafaxine and sertraline – but nothing had worked for long…
Depression... the signs to look for and what to do
Depression can manifest in many ways.
We all feel a bit low from time to time.
But depression is persistent and can make a person feel helpless and unable to see a way through.
They may also struggle to about daily life.
Mind says these are some common signs of depression that you may experience:
How you might feel
- Down, upset or tearful
- Restless, agitated or irritable
- Guilty, worthless and down on yourself
- Empty and numb
- Isolated and unable to relate to other people
- Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy
- Angry or frustrated over minor things
- A sense of unreality
- No self-confidence or self-esteem
- Hopeless and despairing
- Feeling tired all the time
How you might act
- Avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy
- Self-harming or suicidal behaviour
- Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions
- Losing interest in sex
- Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things
- Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
- Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
- No appetite and losing weight, or eating more than usual and gaining weight
- Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
- Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated
If you feel this way, visit your GP who can help you.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.
The following are free to contact and confidential:
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123, jo@samartiands.org.uk
- CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Shout (for support of all mental health) www.giveusashout.org/get-help/, text 85258 to start a conversation
Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email info@mind.org.uk or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.
Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
"I had uncontrollable panic attacks and paralysing negative thoughts… Fundamentally, I couldn't see the point of living any more."
It comes after ITV had to step in to manage tensions between Myleene Klass, Rochelle Humes and Frankie.
Rochelle has remained friends with Myleene's ex Graham Quinn, who was a bodyguard for The Saturdays.
Frankie has been caught up in the crossfire, as Myleene is her co-star on Loose Women.
But Frankie broke her silence on the feud last week, brushing off the drama.
She said about working on Loose Women: "I love it! The women are all so funny and supportive. Behind the scenes team are just as amazing and integral to the show. I'm very lucky.
"I've consistently worked with amazing women for the best part of my career and I wouldn't have it any other way."
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