The show has reminded me of the importance of participating in society, being active and looking after yourself. Be selfish, but in a good way. I think I do this most of the time, but I’m human like everybody else. I can get a bit stressed, but once I get back into the gym I’m a totally different person. That said, I don’t live like a Buddhist. I like going out and having a drink and I don’t always eat what’s best for me.
What makes me depressed? Feeling a bit flat is different from being depressed, so I think of it more as feeling under the weather. Isn’t it amazing how the weather affects your mood? I also feel bad when I see that people have given up on life. I’m a fighter and I’m quite tenacious. Maybe on the show Lorraine Kelly is the good cop and I’m the bad cop. During filming I often had to remind myself that I can be tough on me, but not so much on other people.
I moved to London when I was 17, then worked in Milan for two years as a model. Modelling was a way to the pay the bills, see the world and have fun. I was this wee guy from Shotts in Lanarkshire who had won a modelling competition, so I just felt really lucky. After living in London for years, I realised that it was time to come home. It was a family thing really. I am one of four siblings and we’re incredibly close.
My most annoying habit is that I never stop talking. I was discussing this yesterday with my sister. It’s true, I never shut up. When I was filming with Lorraine she said: “You’re like me. You talk a lot.” It’s true, and I thought it was really nice of her because she has this kind of aura or magnetism about her.
I think I was happiest when I got a decent job in television, working behind the scenes at GMTV. I had always wanted to work in TV, but it is such an incredibly difficult industry to get into. My private life and my work life were going well and I was living in a very nice place in London. The only negative was that I became a bit of an insomniac because I was working a lot of nights.
Something not many people know about me is that I’m studying for a degree in psychology at the Open University. I’m in my third year. I wonder how far I’ll get. It’s quite difficult being an Open University student because you need to be disciplined. I’ve got an essay due in next week. I tell you, it’s going to be a hard week. But, really, I’m an open book. What you see is what you get. People think I’ll be different in real life than on television, but this is it.
I’m content with my lot, although I’m probably not at my most content. I’m doing up my new flat in Edinburgh, and it’s amazing how small things like this can affect you. The builder told me the other day that we would have to start from scratch and I thought: “What! I haven’t got time for this in my life”. But that’s not a serious issue when I consider other people’s real problems. But, yes, I feel happy. I’ve got a good partner and a great family. For me the key ingredients are eating well, looking after yourself, being surrounded by loved ones and going on holiday as much as possible.
Make Me Happier is a new six-part television series from STV which follows the journey of six Scots living with emotional health issues. The first show is on Tuesday, 7.30pm on STV.
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