Rylan Clark says mental health struggle ‘hit him like a baseball bat’ after marriage breakdown

‘I’ve never in my life thought that I would go through a crisis like that,’ said the TV presenter

Rylan Clark has opened up about his mental state after the end of his marriage, admitting that he believed he was “too strong” to struggle.

The TV presenter split from husband Dan Neal in 2021, after eight years together and six as a married couple.

Following the breakup, the It Takes Two and Supermarket Sweep host took a four-month break from his work duties.

In a recent episode of his podcast, Ry-Union, he opened up about his struggle and how surprised he was to see the toll it took on his mental health.

“I’ve never in my life thought that I would go through a crisis like that,” he admitted on the episode.

“But I did, ultimately, and it literally hit me round the face like a baseball bat, because I always thought I was too strong for it.

“Like, ‘I’m never going to let anything like that happen to me’ – but then it does and it’s really, really hard to deal with.”

Rylan Clark (Getty Images)

The TV and radio personality has given the public more of an insight into his mental health journey in recent months.

In an interview with The Observer in January, Clark admitted that he got “quite ill” and stopped eating when his marriage ended.

“I’d got to the point where I didn’t know if I wanted to come back. Or whether I would be able to do this job again,” he said. “It got bad. Like, very bad. And I didn’t think it would get better. I needed help.”

He has since been working on his recovery and regaining the weight he lost.

For anyone struggling with the issues raised in this piece, eating disorder charity Beat’s helpline is available 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677. You can visit their website here.

NCFED offers information, resources and counselling for those suffering from eating disorders, as well as their support networks. They can be reached by phone on 845 838 2040 or their website here.