'Doctor Who' alum Christopher Eccleston says he battled anorexia while starring on the show
Christopher Eccleston is sharing a hard truth about his starring stint on "Doctor Who" –that he was battling an eating disorder during filming.
The 55-year-old actor played the show's ninth Doctor in 2005.
In an excerpt from his new autobiography "I Love the Bones of You" via Variety and CNN, Eccleston called himself a "lifelong anorexic and dysmorphic," saying he always believed his mental health issues were "a filthy secret, because I’m northern, because I’m male and because I’m working class.”
According to the National Association for Anorexia and Associated Disorders, at least 30 million people of "all ages and genders" are currently suffering from an eating disorder in the United States right now, with the National Institute of Mental Health calling anorexia nervosa "the most lethal" mental health condition.
In his book, Eccleston described how, while viewers praised his appearance on "Doctor Who," he was actually very sick during the show's filming.
“The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor," he wrote. "People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.”
Eccleston says he checked into a psychiatric facility after separating from his wife in 2015.
“I was in a state of extreme anxiety, convinced I was either going to die or I was going to kill myself," he wrote. "In my despair I reached for my phone and looked up a psychiatric hospital, I rang ahead, grabbed my bag and ran."
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online.
Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
A survivor's story: Yes, boys can have anorexia, too
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Doctor Who' Christopher Eccleston reveals anorexia battle in new book
