Heston Blumenthal has opened up about his struggle with bipolar disorder, recalling suicidal thoughts and hallucinations in a powerful interview on This Morning.
The 58-year-old chef spoke with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard to mark Bipolar Awareness Month, sharing his journey with the condition, which affects an estimated 1.2 million people—though he believes many more remain undiagnosed.
Blumenthal was diagnosed 14 months ago after being sectioned by his wife, Melanie Ceysson, following a period of intense hallucinations and extreme mood swings.
The Michelin-starred chef revealed that stepping away from the kitchen gave him more time, which led to an increase in manic episodes.
Now, he’s determined to raise awareness and encourage open conversations about mental health.
Appearing on Wednesday’s episode, he shared: “In the darker moments, there was suicidal thoughts... I realised afterwards, it's quite a classic symptom of being in a mania stage you can hallucinate sound, smell, touch. I saw a gun on the table.
“I told my wife, which obviously, for me, it all seemed quite normal. I looked back at it, there was nothing normal about it.”
Blumenthal shared that he is on a mission to break the stigma around bipolar disorder, admitting he had "no idea" he was living with the condition until his diagnosis.
Reflecting on the moment he was sectioned 14 months ago, the chef shared: “I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2017, so there is quite a big cross over with ADHD and Bipolar. There are similar symptoms. I really didn't think about it until having sort of manic highs and dropping to these lows.”
He described the highs as feeling invincible, saying, “When you're on these manic highs, you get this sense of I don't know, you think I'm Superman, everything is beautiful.”
But the lows could hit suddenly, much like a child having a tantrum after a minor disruption.
Blumenthal also credited his wife, Melanie, for making the difficult decision to have him sectioned, acknowledging her role in getting him the help he needed.
He continued: “I think that I was so consumed when on the manic highs, I didn't really think about it that much. Someone asked me, it was the best thing that could have happened to me - being sectioned.
“My wife had me sectioned.”
The TV chef added: “She didn't know if I'd blame her so much, that there was resentment build it. But it saved my life, the best thing could have happened to me.
“I spent two months in there, then on medication that is continually being tweaked. I can look back and think blimey, those highs and lows, now I am definitely in the process of stabilising.”
After a challenging year, the chef is on the road to recovery and has returned to work. He first spoke publicly about his mental health journey in 2024 on The One Show.
Heston married Melanie in 2023 and is a proud father to three children—Jack, Joy, and Jessie—whom he shares with ex-wife Zanna Blumenthal, whom he separated from in 2011.
He also has a six-year-old child with former partner Stephanie Gouveia.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
