Heston Blumenthal: My life with bipolar

In June 2025, world-renowned chef and Bipolar UK ambassador Heston Blumenthal shed light on life with bipolar in a compelling BBC documentary. You can watch ‘Heston: My Life with Bipolar’ on BBC iPlayer. 

Having openly talked about his diagnosis back in February, Heston became a Bipolar UK ambassador and has been actively supporting our mission to help reduce the average 9.5 year delay to diagnosis, and to end the stigma surrounding the condition.

Widely recognised as one of the world’s greatest chefs, Heston’s changes in mood and energy escalated in 2023 and led him to hear voices and experience hallucinations. At points his extremes in mood resulted in suicidal thoughts – a symptom that tragically leads up to 1 in 5 people living with bipolar to take their own life.

After his wife Melanie called for help, Heston was sectioned and hospitalised, and he finally received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder – something he describes as ‘the best thing that could have ever happened’.

Speaking about his experience, Heston said:

“I was living with undiagnosed bipolar for many years, so it’s been an extraordinary journey to get where I am today, and I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to talk to others living with the condition and find out more about their experiences.

“There is still a lot of stigma regarding bipolar, and mental health support is still lacking, but it is vital to be able to talk openly about the condition. I know this isn’t always easy, but I hope by sharing my experience, people will gain a greater understanding of bipolar and an insight into how I’m managing it.”

Bipolar UK estimates that more than one million people in the UK have bipolar, which leads to extreme changes in mood and energy levels far beyond most people's experiences of feeling happy or a bit down. The condition also directly impacts over five million more people who are close family and loved ones.

Throughout the documentary, Heston openly discusses what it was like living with undiagnosed bipolar as well as the impact it had on those closest to him. Jack Blumenthal, Heston’s son, says during one particularly emotional exchange: "We just wanted a relaxing conversation with our dad and we weren't able to have one. It was horrible. And it was constant." Heston wipes away a tear as he says, "I'm sorry,".

Simon Kitchen, Bipolar UK CEO, added: 

“Heston is such an incredible ambassador for everyone in the UK living with, or affected by, bipolar.

“We could not be prouder to be working with him. His willingness to be so vulnerable on camera and to share such personal details about his experiences has resonated with many people in our community – and will help people who don't know much about bipolar to begin to understand this complex and much-misunderstood condition.

“Heston is living proof that despite the sometimes severe and fluctuating nature of the condition, living with bipolar should not be a barrier to following your ambitions”