GlowUp star James Mac Inerney is set to open up about living with Tourette's in a new BBC documentary.
The Co. Laois star make-up artist shot to fame when he appeared as a finalist on Netflix/BBC Glow Up and guest judge on RTE’s Glow Up Ireland, which was hosted by Maura Higgins.
James told us how the BBC Radio 4 documentary, which airs on Tuesday, will give listeners a deeper insight into people who live with Tourette’s.
Read More: BBC Three Glow Up star James MacInerney adjusting to life in lockdown in Laois
He told us: “It’s a nervous tic for me. I don’t have any verbal.. this is the thing with the documentary, they thought Tourette’s was totally orientated around swearing. It comes in so many different physical forms like tics, it affects my respiratory system. I really have to look after my health a lot, my breathing. I have to do a lot of yoga and swim and meditate.
“I had been living with it and noticed that something was different probably from when I was younger, and I was in social environments. When I was in boarding school, when you have something as obvious as this, you become the butt of the jokes.
“I think Tourette’s was never as much of an issue for me when I was a suppressed in the closet, gay child in rural Ireland. I was much more worried about coming out. I don’t think Tourette’s stopped me from doing anything. Even though it was really always physically prominent.”
The celebrity drag artist said when he auditioned for GlowUp on the BBC, he said he felt he needed to use his platform to talk about Tourette’s.
“Obviously it was an important thing to mention. I’ve always been an artistic child, I loved makeup. The power of make up was always a stronger factor than my Tourette’s.
“When I sit down and do my creative look, it's as if it almost vanishes.
“But sharing my story, I took it for granted. . The reaction I got - it was overwhelming. There are so many people out there who have discreet forms of tics and habits. Some are more severe than myself.
“It has been hugely powerful seeing the bigger picture, realising the platform I was given to share my story, how relatable it would become to so many more people who are the same, living each day with similar conditions.
“I’m so proud to be part of this documentary helping to destigmatise the misconceptions of living with Tourette’s, and normalise accepting it as a personal strength rather than a hindrance.
"My journey since taking part in GlowUp has been incredible, for my career, my artistry and foremost understanding the power of sharing my personal story of living with Tourette’s. I had undermined my life with Tourette’s for so long, rarely speaking about it and not knowing anyone else growing up around me with similar characteristics of it or twitches or making physical sounds.”
‘The Truth About Tourette's’ airs Tuesday, May 31 at 11am on BBC Radio 4.
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