TV presenter and Samaritans ambassador Scarlett Moffatt has spoken candidly about her experience of loneliness ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Moffatt, 31, first gained popularity on Channel 4’s Gogglebox before becoming a TV presenter. In 2016 she was crowned the winner of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Since finding fame, Moffatt has spoken openly about the impact it has had on her mental health, particularly in regard to trolling she experienced after her time in the jungle and the loneliness she felt during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ahead of Mental Health Awareness week, which runs from May 9 to 15, Moffatt said: “Sometimes it can feel like there is a negative stigma around admitting that you’re lonely, but it’s something that most people will have experienced at one point in their life.
“There is no shame in feeling alone, and it’s okay to talk about it.”
After reaching her lowest point, Moffatt called the mental health charity, Samaritans, under a fake name, which prompted her to seek help from her GP.
“In the world of social media, it’s not always clear to see when people are feeling sad or lonely,” she said.
“I remember feeling guilt when I felt lonely – because to many people I have no reason to feel alone – but loneliness affects us all.
“The pandemic was particularly tough for a lot of people. I rang Samaritans for support and would urge anyone else struggling to do so too.
“Talking to someone who didn’t know me, or judge me, really helped when I wanted to talk about how I was feeling.”
After her experience with the charity, Moffatt went on to become a Samaritans ambassador.
Recently released Samaritans data shows a 22% increase in emotional support calls mentioning loneliness and isolation since the start of the pandemic.
Calls from those identified as female showed an even greater increase of 26%, compared to male-identified callers, which increased by 15% over the same time.
– Anyone struggling to cope can call Samaritans free of charge on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), email jo@samaritans.org or visit the Samaritans website.