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Married to Giovanna, who is starring on this year’s Im A Celeb… Get Me Out of Here!, Tom will be appearing in an ITV documentary – alongside his band mates – about their experience in the limelight.
Rising to superstardom in 2004, with hits like “5 Colours In Her Hair”, Tom was thrown into the public eye at 19 years old.
Eight years down the line and the popular boy band published an autobiography titled Unsaid Things… Our Story.
It was in these revelatory pages that Tom admitted to struggling with an eating disorder.
“I wanted to lose weight,” he confessed. “But rather than going about it the sensible way, I pretty much stopped eating.
“I’d go to Starbucks and order a frappuccino and blueberry muffin and that was me for the day. It was an obsession, and a deeply unhealthy one.”
Now a father-of-three – to boys Buzz, Max and Buddy – the 35-year-old has admitted being a parent has “changed everything”.
Speaking on ITV’s Loose Women in June 2016, he said: “Being a dad you realise that it’s not about you any more.
“All the cliches are true I think. It changes everything that you do and you realise why you’re doing it, who you’re doing it for.”
However, Tom recalled his lowest moments talking to Heatworld, when he opened up about his depression.
“I went through a tough time with depression,” he said. “For a long time I didn’t really recognise what that was.”
As soon as he did realise his mental health was suffering, Tom reached out for support.
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“It was a really defining moment of my life,” he revealed. “It was so important that I went to speak to someone. That really changed my life.”
He added: “Admitting [that] you are struggling with anything is the hardest bit.
“If you’re overwhelmed or stressed or feeling depressed, the first and most challenging bit is recognising that yourself and telling someone about it.”
He urged: “That’s first and most significant step. Talk to someone, whether that’s your partner, a family member or a professional.”
Signs of depression
The mental health charity Mind outlines the common signs and symptoms of depression.
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
- A sense of unreality
- No self-confidence or self-esteem
- Hopeless and despairing
- Suicidal
You might behave by:
- 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
- Feeling tired all the time
- No appetite and losing weight, or eating too much and gaining weight
- Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
- Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated.
The NHS added that symptoms of depression occur “for most of the day, every day for more than two weeks”.
“There’s evidence that exercise can help depression,” attested the national health body.
“And it’s one of the main treatments for mild depression.” You may also benefit from “self-help books” and “online cognitive behavioural therapy”.
Talking therapy can be helpful, and you can refer yourself directly to an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT) – click here.
Catch Tom on ITV’s McFly: All About Us at 6:40pm on Saturday, November 14.
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