Becoming Mum fans break down in tears as they praise Sheridan Smith on ‘breaking taboo’ around mental health
BECOMING Mum viewers have been overcome with emotion as they thank Sheridan Smith for breaking stigma around mental health.
The 39-year-old actress, opened up about her struggles with anxiety and concern it would impact her pregnancy in the ITV documentary.
The star of Cilla and Gavin &; Stacey gave producers exclusive access to her life in the four months up to the birth of son Billy in May.
She and fiancé Jamie Horn, 31, had to scrap plans for a natural birth as Billy arrived early, forcing Sheridan to have an emergency caesarean section.
The documentary showed Sheridan having therapy for the first time, to explore issues which she believes could stem from her childhood and the death of her sibling when he was 18 and she was eight.
Showing her before she gave birth, the star revealed: "No one knows what's going on behind it all.
"The biggest worry is you've had mental health issues in the past - will it rear its ugly head again?
"Now I'm pregnant it feels like I've got a second chance at life."
Becoming Mum also showed Sheridan speaking to other mums who struggled with their mental health either while pregnant or after giving birth.
She also consulted with psychological maternity specialists and presented different avenues of help available to mums.
As a result of her honestly, viewers rushed to thank Sheridan for breaking the taboo about maternal mental health.
Many viewers, even men and people who were not parents, congratulated the new mum for speaking so candidly about a tough issue.
One Twitter user wrote: "#BecomingMum was such a beautiful documentary and @Sheridansmith1 was so open and honest about all her struggles with anxiety and depression. I see so much of myself in you and I can’t even describe how much of a help you’ve been to me throughout my anxiety/depression journey."
Another added: "If you missed @Sheridansmith1#BecomingMum watch it on @itvhub. Honest and raw but hopefully helpful and will signpost mums to be to help they may need. Also so important to raise awareness of during pregnancy and postnatally.""
Even celebrities rushed to praise the West End star.
Naked Attraction presenter Anna Richardson said she was "gobsmacked" after watching Becoming Mum.
"What an extraordinary lioness is. Your bravery in talking about your vulnerability...anxiety, terror, hospital, loss...is a support for us all. Thank you for being so open. Kindness matters," she wrote on Twitter.
While actress Emily Atack said the documentary would help a lot of people.
She wrote: "One of the best talents we have and so much love in that heart of yours. @Sheridansmith1 .. being honest about your struggles will help SO many people. You’re a legend. #becomingmum."
One of the most harrowing stories in the documentary came when Sheridan revealed she almost died after the 2016 Baftas when host Graham Norton made a joke at her expense.
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Launching the awards show, BBC chat star Graham said: “Let’s get started because, of course, the sooner we begin, the sooner we can have a couple of drinks . . . or as they say in theatrical circles, a couple of glasses of technical difficulties.”
The actress and singer said that swipe tipped her over the edge. She added: “What people didn’t realise was that I’d become addicted to anti-anxiety tablets.
“That night, I took myself off to a hotel on my own. In my crazy mind I thought, ‘I don’t wanna be in rehab — I’ll do it myself’ so I went there and I just stopped my tablets.
“What I didn’t realise is, that if you stop the tablets abruptly, you seizure. And, to cut a long story short, I got seizures five times and got rushed into A&E."
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If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Samaritans on 116 123.