Jason Manford: Comedian shares mental health battle Published duration 7 May 2019

image copyright Getty Images image caption Jason Manford said in a video on Facebook that he suffers from anxiety and depression

Comedian Jason Manford has opened up about his struggles with mental health.

In a video on Facebook , he said he wanted to let people know why he had been less active on social media.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say a breakdown, but I had a struggle mentally and I found it very difficult to deal with," Manford told his fans.

Describing his battle with anxiety and depression, he said social media can make things worse and encouraged people to talk about their problems.

The Mancunian comic said people - "especially blokes" - do not talk about mental health enough, even though male suicide is such a big issue.

'Not failing'

"It's taken me this long to be brave enough to say it... I've been struggling, you know, finding things hard and I think sometimes social media can not help with that," he said.

Manford said it was not just trolls but also "bad news and nastiness... even down to comparing your life".

The father of five said he suffers from anxiety and depression and at his lowest, he "felt like I'd let my kids down and I couldn't do my job any more".

Manford said he wanted to pass on the advice he was given that "still gets me through to this day", which was "just because you're struggling, doesn't mean you're failing".

"The next time you're struggling, maybe say it to someone you love," he added.

For help and support on mental health visit the BBC Advice pages