Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson is taking part on 'Your Face Sounds Familiar' after battling depression for four years.

The 30-year-old presenter is participating in the new Saturday night entertainment show - which sees six celebrities dress up as pop stars and perform iconic songs - in a bid to raise thousands of pounds for his chosen charity, Mind, after suffering from the mental health disorder in his twenties.

Speaking to BANG Showbiz, he said: "My family have had a history of depression and stress and bipolar disorder. I had a really bad period of my life in my twenties where I had depression and to get me out of that I started to run and started to do lots of exercise.

"So I thought I'd raise some money for the charity and ... end the s***ty stigma that comes with it, because people are afraid to admit that they've had some problems. Right now I'm cool, I do lots of exercise, I enjoy my job, I'm aware of my mind.

Matt - who can be seen dressing up as Bon Jovi for the opening night of the show - has the opportunity to raise £10,000 each week, which could total up to a lump sum of £60,000, which will go solely to his charity.

He explained: "People could do a lot to prevent mental illness and that's what I'm trying to do."

"I have a very strong affiliation with [Mind], personally and within my family.

"With mental health, there's a taboo surrounding it, so, just every week having their name mentioned on telly will be a good thing."

Each week, the celebrities will perform as a musical icon - ranging from Michael Jackson to Beyonce - in a bid to impress a star-studded panel of judges including Emma Bunton, Julian Clary and a weekly guest judge.

However, in a unique twist, the celebrities will have no influence over which star they impersonate - relying on a computer randomiser to select their artist, who could be younger, older, or even of the opposite sex.

'Your Face Sounds Familiar' kicks off on ITV on Saturday June 29 at 7.30pm.

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