An ITV newsreader has shared a rare insight into why he needed to take some time off.
An ITV presenter has opened up about going through a ‘breakdown’(Image: ITV)
An ITV News journalist has opened up about taking three months off work after suffering a “breakdown”.
Newsreader Tom Bradby took the break from work back in 2018, and now he is speaking candidly about that time.
He opened up about it to Radio Times as he discussed new ITV thriller Secret Service, which was adapted from his book and stars Gemma Arterton as MI6 officer Kate Henderson.
Tom said he wrote that particular novel faster than any of his other books, saying that when he reflects on the speed it “poured out” of him “it seems obvious that Kate – as a result of all the pressure heaped upon her – is skating on the edge of acute insomnia and some kind of breakdown”.
“And shortly after I finished it, this is exactly what happened to me,” he said. “I took three months off, rebooted and recovered.
“But when I read the book now, I do wonder at the way the character was a direct reflection of my own psychological state of mind.”
Tom has previously been open about his time off, revealing it happened after he developed insomnia, which resulted in what he said was an “addiction” to a sleeping pill.
Secret Service, which also stars Rafe Spall, was adapted from Tom’s best-selling novel and ITV has promised viewers “high-stakes drama” and “political intrigue”.
The five-part series explores the world of espionage against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the UK and Russia.
A synopsis for the show said: “The drama follows senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson (Gemma). On the surface, her life appears ordinary – a civil servant married to Stuart (Rafe) with two teenage children.
“However, to those who don’t know her well, Kate’s true role is heading the Russia Desk at the Secret Intelligence Service.
“When her undercover operations reveal alarming evidence that a high-ranking UK politician may be a Russian asset, Kate finds herself in a desperate race to uncover their identity.”
It continues: “As a brutal murder thrusts her team into the spotlight, Kate must navigate the dangerous world of espionage while trying to hold her family together and protect her reputation.”
Secret Service will launch on Monday April 27 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.