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Gail Porter talks to us...

May 12 2016
The television host, 45, chats about her battles with homelessness and depression.

The television host Gail Porter, 45, chats to the Pavement about her battles with homelessness and depression.

How did you become involved with homeless charity Shelter?
I got involved in Shelter because I was homeless for some time, quite recently, I was struggling in between jobs before Charity Big Brother. I was sleeping on people’s couches. It was tough, wandering around with my bag on my back, begging for somewhere to stay at my age. Once you get yourself into that position, you think: where do you have to go, whom do you have to talk to?

Do you talk about your depression and suicide attempt?
Yes, everything like that, my alopecia, being sectioned, Big Brother...

How is the alopecia now?
It’s still gone. My eyebrows and eyelashes have come back, and I’ve got bits of hair, but no body hair, which is amazing. People pay a fortune for lasering, so I am pretty pleased about that. I am used to it now.

Do you think the depression brought on the alopecia?
I’ve no idea, it could have been stress depression or hormones, whatever it is, and I’m not really that bothered. It’s happened and I’ve dealt with it.

Was it difficult going through all your struggles in the public eye?
It wasn’t easy but what was good was the amount of people that would come up to me and say that I’ve got depression or I’ve alopecia and we want to thank you, so it makes it all worthwhile. I am not embarrassed about any of it. People think they are on their own but they are not because there are loads of us around.

Do you do a lot of exercise to manage your depression?
I do – I’m always working out, going to the gym. I love boxing classes.

You seem in a good place at the moment.
I am in really good spirits at the moment. I am really happy. I think people think if you’re depressed you’re at home all the time. I have bad days when I just put the covers over my head and you just can’t explain it to people.

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