Joey Essex has received high praise after opening up about his mother's death in his new BBC documentary, Joey Essex: Grief and Me.
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In the programme, the reality TV star, who rose to fame on The Only Way is Essex, candidly spoke about his mother taking her own life when he was a child and how it continues to affect him to this day.
After the hour-long doc aired on Thursday evening, one person wrote on Twitter: "Saw a very different side to @JoeyEssex_ in #GriefAndMe tonight. Such a powerful and emotional watch."
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They continued: "Yes, there have been a lot of celeb-fronted docs recently, but why shouldn't someone in the public eye tell their story if there's a chance that by doing so, they'll help others?"
Someone else commented: "Only caught the last half of that, but what an incredibly honest exploration of childhood trauma, Joey Essex will make such a positive difference by talking so candidly about suicide and its impact on loved ones. A really compelling watch."
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A third viewer added: "Such a powerful documentary, what a brave and remarkable person @JoeyEssex_ is."
© Photo: InstagramJoey lost his mum when he was just ten years old
Joey himself also took to social media to show his gratitude to fans, writing: "Thank you for all the lovely messages, it really means a lot to me."
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Joey's mum Tina sadly took her own life in 2001 when she was 37, after suffering mental health issues caused by candida, a yeast imbalance in the gut that can lead to a number of other health problems, including depression. Joey was just ten years old at the time.
Following her death, Joey, now 30, and his older sister Frankie, 33, were brought up by their dad, Donny. Both, along with Joey's cousin Chloe Sims, appeared in the documentary and discussed the devastating loss with Joey.
If you have been affected by this story and wish to seek help, Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
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