Emma Belle

Emma is a podcast host and mental health advocate. Emma, originally from Brighton, UK, and has lived in Paris, Geneva and now Dubai. Diagnosed with bipolar more than a decade ago following a breakdown, Emma now shares her story and experience for managing mental health and trauma recovery with daily practices, tips and resources through her social media platforms, blogs and podcast.

Leah Charles-King

Leah has over 30 years’ experience in the entertainment industry as a music artist, TV and radio presenter, producer, live host and public speaker. She is currently the presenter of A Place in the Sun and the founder and public speaking coach at The Red Carpet Academy which teaches on-camera skills to spokespeople and influencers.

Leah runs her own platform presenting and producing content on mental health and wellbeing to normalise the conversation and end the stigma around mental illness. She features on many podcasts and interviews talking about her mental health journey. 

Nicky Chinn

A songwriter and record producer, Nicky co-wrote several international number one singles with Mike Chapman in the 70s and 80s. The many hits include 'Living Next Door to Alice', 'Tiger Feet', 'Lonely This Christmas' and the worldwide hit 'Mickey'. Chinn and Chapman were the recipients of three Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting, including the Jimmy Kennedy award for outstanding career achievement in 1997.

Nicky says, "Back in 1961 when I was diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 16, mental illness was not something that was accepted too readily. It was ‘pull yourself together’ territory. My parents were ashamed which made me ashamed as well. Therapy has helped me in more ways than I can describe. I believe it’s one of the reasons I’ve survived. Now I know the condition will always be there in the background, but that it doesn't have to be a prison sentence for life. I don't have to give it the power to rule me forever. Therapy has taught me how to manage bipolar and manage myself, and many other things as well." 

You can listen to Nicky's brilliant episode of the Shed Talks podcast here

Adam Deacon

Adam is a BAFTA award-winning actor, rapper, writer and director. In 2004 he played the lead role in ITV's drama Wall Of Silence and starred both in the urban drama Kidulthood and its sequel Adulthood, 4.3.2.1. 

Adam co-wrote, co-directed and played the lead role in urban comedy Anuvahood which grossed over £1m in box office receipts. Time Out magazine labelled him "The New Face of Youth Cinema". In February 2012, he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award.

Adam has since appeared in many lead and supporting roles in feature films. He has also co-hosted the Music of Black Origin Awards telecast. He says: “I’m very passionate about normalising the conversation around bipolar in particular and mental health in general.  I went through many years of pain because I was so scared of the stigma. I feel for the many men and women going through this thinking they are alone. They are not. You cannot wait until things get out of control. You need to get help before things get too extreme. I feel my experience is similar to those going through bipolar, I want to empower others who, especially in lockdown, will be going through similar challenges that I’ve been through. Through my work with Bipolar UK, I feel we can start by encouraging others to speak openly about their experiences, challenges and triumphs."

Adam chats to Alastair Campbell about bipolar diagnosis, stigma and suicide in this video. 

Dr Clare Dolman

Clare is a former chair of Bipolar UK and a journalist and researcher specialising in how bipolar affects women. Clare is the co-chair of the Bipolar Commission, a trustee for Maternal Mental Health Alliance and a trustee for Action on Postpartum Psychosis. She has a diagnosis of bipolar type 1. 

April Kelley

Founder of Mini Productions, April is an award-winning actress and producer who has carved out her career pioneering female talent as well as shining a light on and giving a voice to bisexuality and bipolar. After years of misdiagnosis and being prescribed the wrong medication, April was 27 before she was diagnosed with bipolar. 

The actress says: “I’m thrilled to be part of the Bipolar UK family, a charity that does so much good for those, like myself, who live with the condition as well as their loved ones. As an ambassador/advocate for the charity I’m excited to be working with them on growing their existing peer support approach and the difference they make to people’s lives. My hope is to not only reassure you that you’re not alone but to shine a candid light on all aspects of living with this superpower...!" 

Esther Marshall

Author of a children's book that encourages children to fulfil their dreams regardless of gender, race or religion, Esther is passionate about breaking the stigma around mental health after her sister, who had bipolar, tragically took her own life. She is also founder of sTandTall, an organisation that provides support and resources to individuals suffering from abuse and bullying via an online platform, community and education programmes.

Esther has won numerous prizes, including the prestigious UK Governments Point of Light Award, Just Giving Influencer of the Year Award, Unilever Hero’s Award and Runner up for Women of the Future. She was named number 9/100 of Women in Tech to watch.

Gordon McInally

Gordon, a Rotary member since 1984, has been Vice President and President of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland. He is currently the Rotary International President Elect (2022-2023), leading its 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries and geographic areas.

Gordon feels a deep resonance with the charity through someone close to him, as he explains in this video.  

Natasha Naomi Rea

Natasha is an actress, author and creative. She published the critically acclaimed memoir ‘Me Myself and Bipolar Brenda,’ in 2020. She went on to launch the #speakoutlikebrenda campaign that saw a host of stars from tv and film performing monologues from the book. She is currently developing her drama ‘Becoming Better’ inspired by her life as a single mother living with bipolar. Natasha is passionate about changing the perception of how people with bipolar work in the creative industry and in society.

Ben Sewell

Diagnosed with bipolar in 2013, Ben first had symptoms at the age of seven and has been a mental health advocate for most of his life. As writer, reporter, podcast presenter, keynote speaker and blogger specialising in mental health, lifestyle and culture, he's been working in the media and communications industry for over 20 years. 

Ben is the founder of his own brand and business acceleration consultancy and is currently training to be a transformational coach. he is a recently qualified yin yoga teacher and is completely a course in flash fiction writing. 

Ben has been a co-facilitator at the Bournemouth and Poole Bipolar UK peer support group and worked at mental health charity Dorset Mind where he looked after PR and campaigns, and pioneered localised brand messaging to help the charity think bigger and support people with mental health difficulties across Dorset. 

Ben believes and facing fears, learning about the condition, accepting limitations and adapting to big life changes with a sense of optimism and hope can be learning through a considered lifestyle design. By incorporating psychiatry, psychotherapy, medication, meditation, good sleep, a nutritious diet, regular nurturing exercise and a resilience attitude - no matter how bad things get - people with bipolar can be empowered to re-architect their lives.  

Andrew Thompson

Andrew Thompson is a husband, father, grandfather and app developer from the Midlands. He first saw a psychiatrist when he was 19, but was only diagnosed with bipolar at 50.

In 2019, Andrew approached Bipolar UK with an idea to develop a Mood Tracker app, pro bono. Thousands of people tell us that using the free app instead of a paper Mood Diary to manage and monitor mood is helpful. Find out more about the Mood Tracker app here

Rosie van Amerongen

Rosie van Amerongen (aka Rosie Viva) is a model who works for top fashion brands including Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Rosie was diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 22 and today is passionate about encouraging and helping people to talk about bipolar - especially young people within the creative industries.

In May 2023, Channel 4 launched a digital documentary charting Rosie's day-to-day experiences of living with bipolar, and she regularly appears in the press talking about the condition to help banish the stigma that still surrounds it.

James Wade

James is the second most successful darts player in the history of the PDC and at 24 became the youngest player to win a major PDC World Darts Championship title. He was diagnosed with bipolar and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2012 and became a patron for Bipolar UK in 2016.  Now working with the charity as an ambassador James will continue to spread awareness about bipolar and act as an inspiration for those who live with the condition that is highly stigmatised. 

Patrons 

Paul Abbott

Paul Abbott, the creator of Shameless, Clocking Off and No Offence, is one of the UK's most critically and commercially successful TV writers and producers. He became a patron for Bipolar UK in 2012. 

Paul says if organisations like Bipolar UK closed it would be a tragedy. “I can think of three men who would not be alive if I had not insisted they needed to act and to start by getting in touch with the charity."

Bill Oddie, OBE

William Edgar Oddie OBE is an English writer, comedian, composer, musician, artist, birder, conservationist, television presenter and actor. It wasn’t until 2010 that he openly discussed his diagnosis of depression and bipolar disorder. "Ten years to arrive at a correct diagnosis! Really? I can believe it. It happened to me. It’s happening to others right now. It could be fatal.” Bill has been a patron for Bipolar UK for almost a decade.

Dr Kay Redfield Jamison

Kay is a clinical psychologist and the author of bestsellers An Unquiet Mind, Night Falls Fast and Touched with Fire, and the co-author of the standard medical text on bipolar. She is the Dalio Professor in Mood Disorders, a Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an honorary Professor of English at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Kay was diagnosed with bipolar in early adulthood. 

Neil 'Twink' Tinning

Neil is a photographer and musician who has been a patron of Bipolar UK for over ten years. He is an amazing ambassador for the charity and for individuals affected by bipolar.

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Last updated: 2 August 2023