Romesh Ranganathan considered taking his own life when he was a teenager.
Romesh Ranganathan appointed CALM charity Patron: pledging to raise 1 million to fund suicide prevention services
The 45-year-old comedian explained that because he ended up at such a low point when his dad was sent to prison for two years in in the early 1990s after being convicted for fraud, and ahead of World Mental Health Day (10.10.23), he has teamed up with suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to be their new patron and shine a light on how beneficial it can be to open up about mental health issues.
He said: "Back when I was a teenager, my dad was sent to prison, and it led to me considering taking my own life. It's a moment that sits alongside the other low points I've had that have really hammered home just how vital help is when you're struggling.
"I'm becoming CALM Patron because I know talking about suicide really does make a difference and that anyone can hit rock bottom. It's vital we all understand that those feelings won't last forever, so I'll be helping to make sure more people know about CALM's life-saving services and raising as much money as I can to support as many people as possible."
Bosses at the charity are thrilled to have 'The Weakest Link' host on board and the TV star has even made a short film to raise awareness.
Simon Gunning, CEO of the Campaign Against Living Miserably, said: “Romesh has been an incredible supporter of CALM for many years, helping to smash the silence around suicide by normalising chatting about mental health and encouraging people to find support when they need it most. Against a pretty bleak backdrop in which rates of suicide continue to rise, and 125 lives are lost each week, we are excited for Romesh to be named CALM Patron and help us in the fight against suicide in the UK."
See the short film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaJBja0krG4.
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