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Heston Blumenthal has opened up about his mental health struggles in a candid new interview.
The 58-year-old British chef, known for experimental dishes such as bacon and egg ice cream and snail porridge, was diagnosed with bipolar after being sectioned in November 2023 by his wife, Melanie Ceysson.
In a “What I’ve Learnt” interview for The Times, Blumenthal said: “It took more than a few extreme moments of manic behaviour for my wife to put me in hospital. It got to the point where if she hadn’t done something about it, I wouldn’t be here.
“With all the manic highs and lows, it’s so hard for the people around you. I can’t keep waking her up because I’ve got this idea for an electric mattress that can lead you to the toilet in the middle of the night.”
He added: “The psychiatric hospital was basically like a prison. It was quite miserable. I was discombobulated. Then after two weeks I got moved to a wonderful, calming place. So it was a total of two months.”
Blumenthal said that he has “been able to love” himself “warts and all” since being with Ceysson.
Speaking about his bipolar, he said that, for years, cooking had “masked” the condition.
“A year since the diagnosis, I’m continually finding past events that were classic bipolar. I ticked every box,” he said.
“I got diagnosed years ago with ADHD. I think I have PTSD. But bipolar didn’t even come into my head until I was in hospital.
“I was constantly bombarding my team with new ideas. [With bipolar you get] manic highs, a wonderful feeling of thinking you can change the world and every single person and leaf is beautiful. But what goes up has to come down.”
In a BBC Newsnight interview on Tuesday (12 November), Blumenthal also revealed he fears that watching TV show The Bear, an intense, pressure-cooker depiction of a working restaurant, could trigger a bipolar episode.
“There’s a couple of the big chefs that I know, friends of mine, who have been involved in the consulting of it, so it must be pretty accurate,” he said. “I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to watch it, just at the moment, it’s too soon.”
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition where you have extreme mood changes, and can be managed by medicines and talking therapy.
Blumenthal runs numerous restaurants, including the three Michelin star Fat Duck, two Michelin star Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Michelin-starred Hind’s Head, and the Perfectionists’ Cafe.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
