Gail Porter has opened up about her own mental health battle following the Britney Spears’ court case.
The Scots TV presenter appeared on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch to talk about Britney’s situation as she battles to have her father removed as a conservator.
Gail spoke about her own mental health and said at the time she would maybe have liked some help but not someone taking full control over her life.
She said: “I suffered from mental health problems which was very well documented and I think I would have liked someone to take a wee bit of control to help me in my situation.
“But this dad has taken over everything, and since she has been performing since she has been wee, so all she knows is what her dad has put around her.
“Her management team has been organised by her dad, money has been organised by her dad, and now I’m just really surprised that it has taken her this long to actually say no I’ve had enough now. I really feel for her.”
Show host Steph McGovern then asks Gail: “How would you feel if it had happened to you? If someone had taken over and got conservatorship of you?”
Gail replied: “I think I would have freaked out more than I was freaking out already, I wasn’t having the best time, it would have been nice to have some help, but someone completely taking over control when I’m already, when I’ve already lost a wee bit of control over my mind, I think I would not have liked that at all.
(Image: C4)
Steph adds: “Even though the aim of it is to help?”
Gail said: “Yeah to help, but not complete control. I would’ve loved help but – I’m alright now – but I would’ve loved help but complete control, I think would have topped me over the edge.”
This week, Britney Spears spoken out strongly in a Los Angeles court as she took to the stand remotely in a bid to remove her dad from her ‘abusive’ conservatorship.
Britney urged a judge to remove her father Jamie from her conservatorship as she wants to be “free”.
The battle over her estate, which is worth over £40 million, has been going on since August, when her attorney filed to remove her father Jamie as a conservator.
Gail previously spoke about her own battle while working in TV.
A series of life-changing events – including post-natal depression, bereavement, divorce and then alopecia – contributed to Gail’s downward spiral.
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She said: “While I was enjoying a successful career on television, I was experiencing serious mental health illness, but at the time there was still a real stigma around the subject so I had to smile and carry on as normal.
“Hiding it like this just made things worse.
“In those days, the media often labelled people ‘mad’ or similar derogatory terms, there was a stigma and discrimination around mental health that could quickly destroy your career.”
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