BBC newsreader Huw Edwards says depression left him unable to get out of bed | UK News

Popular newsreader Huw Edwards has described how depression left him unable to get out of bed.

The BBC News at Ten stalwart, 60, told Men’s Health UK that his depression includes anxiety and tends to “hit” him “in a strong wave and then go away”.

The Welsh broadcaster, who has worked at the BBC since 1984, revealed in a documentary last year he had bouts of depression which have left him “bedridden” since 2002.

Speaking to mental health campaigner and columnist Alastair Campbell, he said: “I’m pretty clear that I have suffered – and do suffer – from depression.

“It’s not anxiety, although it includes anxiety, but it tends to hit me in a strong wave and then go away… I think at least I now know when I’m going to enter a phase like that.

“Your mind goes into a place where you don’t want to do anything. You can’t make any decisions.

“Things that you usually enjoy, you dread. You come into work and obviously you do a professional job, but you’re kind of pushing your way through it.

“And, of course, if it’s very bad – as it has been a few times over the course of 20 years – you can’t work. During the worst one I had, I couldn’t get out of bed.”

He spoke to the former press secretary about realising and accepting that you cannot please everyone.

“When I think back 20 years to me getting The Ten job, it took a long time to stop having a thin skin about people having a pop. ‘Why is this Welsh guy doing the news? Why doesn’t he sod off back to Cardiff and do the news there? All he does is read an autocue! Get rid of him!’

“You can laugh it off but if it’s every bloody week. I wasn’t used to it. I was used to being told I was brilliant. My mistake was thinking you can please all of the people. And you can’t”