Tom Fletcher has been open about his mental health struggles that have affected him since childhood

Tom Fletcher has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder – a mental illness characterised by severe mood fluctuations (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Tom Fletcher of McFly fame previously disclosed his struggle with a severe mental health condition. Today, he is debuting as a coach on The Voice UK, alongside bandmate Danny Jones, marking the ITV show’s first pair in the iconic red seats.

Tom, 39, catapulted to stardom in 2004 with McFly and swiftly became a well-known figure. Initially, he auditioned for the band Busted but lost out to Charlie Simpson when Island Records made the call to keep Busted as a three-man band instead of a four-piece.

Subsequently, Tom joined the songwriting squad for Busted before finding his own niche with McFly. However, Tom has been candid about his ongoing mental health issues, which have plagued him since childhood.

In an emotional exchange with Fearne Cotton, Tom recounted: “Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been highly emotional. I’d feel excited one moment, then the polar opposite the next. But I think everyone just thought that’s who I was.”

He was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder – a mental illness characterised by severe mood fluctuations. For Tom, the enlistment of moods was not the only hurdle, reports Birmingham Live.

As he began tasting fame, he admitted his weight “become an issue,” to such an extent that he ceased eating entirely and “basically just drank coffee”. Speaking further on his mental health challenges, he remarked: “It was so unhealthy.”

“I would struggle with down periods – I’m sure I was a nightmare to be with, but I kept much of it from Giovanna [his wife]. Like many men, quite often I would hide it from the people I was closest to.”

“In late 2011, I watched a documentary by Stephen Fry called The Secret Life Of The Manic Depressive. He shared his story of bipolar disorder and depression, and it sounded exactly like me. I just cried.”

Tom sought therapy and later received his diagnosis. He confessed: “I’d never thought about it being a definable mental health condition before, and I decided to speak to a therapist.”

“For a long time, I still didn’t tell anyone about it. I was later diagnosed with bipolar. When I told my friend, Harry, he said: ‘Ahhh, that makes so much sense.'”.

“Since then, more and more people have spoken out about their mental health. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”