Frankie details her mental health struggles at Glamour’s Women Of The Year Awards

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Frankie Bridge discussed her battle with mental illness as she was named the Mental Health Game Changer winner at Glamour’s Women Of the Year Awards 2021 on Thursday. 

The former Saturdays singer, 32, emotionally spoke how she overcame overwhelming thoughts of anxiety and depression to improve her mental wellbeing.

She confirmed that she first disclosed her mental health struggles during a previous interview with Glamour in 2012 – while humbly accepting her trophy from an unknown studio location. 

Frankie was seen rocking a plunging tulle dress in a muted pink hue as she delivered her candid acceptance speech: ‘I always say that I was someone who was born anxious. 

‘As I grew up in the public eye, I realised that I didn’t have much control over my own life, and it got to a point where I felt like I was coming into work and I was being “Frankie from The Saturdays,” rather than just Frankie.

‘I started feeling that I didn’t want to be around anymore, I didn’t want to live my life anymore. I wasn’t able to cope with day-to-day normal life without crying. 

‘I found I wanted to spend all my time in bed and hide away. That was when I realised that maybe my depression and anxiety had taken over me rather than me having control over it.’

The Saturdays singer previously revealed that she reached a low point during filming for the band’s melancholic track, My Heart Takes Over, in 2011. 

She was admitted to a psychiatric ward that same year after suffering from a mental breakdown. 

According to Frankie, she decided to open up to Glamour magazine about her struggles in hopes of helping others.  

She continued: ‘I chose Glamour magazine to speak to about my mental health because it just seemed right at the time. I felt like they were going to be sensitive to the subject and they really were, they really got it. 

‘There was part of me that chose to do the interview to say, “actually, I was in hospital because I had anxiety and depression and this is my story,” but obviously I wanted to help others to open up and seek help where they needed to, and it did that. 

‘The fact that people still come up and tell me about that one interview in Glamour magazine just means so much to me.’

Frankie tied the knot with her partner Wayne, 40, in a in a private ceremony in 2014 and they share two sons, Parker, seven, and Carter, five.

She praised her children for teaching her the importance of living in the moment and valuing the ‘simple things’.  

While clutching her Gamechanger Award, she said: ‘I remember watching my son bouncing on a trampoline and the pure joy and excitement of that simple thing made me realise as you get older, you don’t appreciate those little things.

‘Seeing life though a child’s eye is amazing, they [Frankie’s children] make me extremely happy, some days not so much,’ she laughed.

Frankie concluded her speech: ‘Thank you so much Glamour for my Mental Health Gamechanger Award. It means so much to me, it’s so nice to know that just by having honest and open conversions you feel like I’m helping people. 

‘And this award is just the cherry on the top so thank you so much.’   

Fellow inspirational stars such as Victoria Beckham and Little Mix have been celebrated at Thursday’s star-studded Glamour Women Of The Year Awards.

Also joining the line-up of worthy winners was It’s A Sin’s Lydia West who took home the game changing rising star award and Millie Bobby Brown for her beauty range.

The streamed ceremony, hosted by comedian Katherine Ryan, was filmed in London and saw all the winners accepting their prizes virtually amid the Covid pandemic.   

Little Mix were seen chatting about their win in their first interview as a trio during the night, saying it’s been amazing to see ‘how far they’ve come’.

The stylish beauties – Jade Thirlwall, 28, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 29, and Perrie Edwards, 27, – said: ‘Look at how far we’ve come, from when we use to speak about being feminist or anything political in the past.     

Other winners included Amika George for her gamechanging activism, author Bernardine Evaristo and model Ellie Goldstein who has Down’s Syndrome.

Footballer Marcus Rashford, 23, was also honoured for his work during the pandemic to hold the government to account over childrens’ school meals.  

The 2021 Gamechangers awards will honour women who have broken down barriers, incited change and campaigned for justice throughout their careers.

Several of the year’s worthy winners have already been revealed ahead of the virtual ceremony on Thursday night, with Awkwafina scooping the Gamechainging creator award and Naomi Osaka the gong for sports Gamechanger. 

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