Ben Miller has opened up about his journey with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) during a candid chat on This Morning.
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The actor, who is currently starring in the titular role for series two of ITV drama Professor T, was chatting to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield about the similarities between him and his on-screen persona when he shared his own struggles.
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"There are similarities, yes," the Death in Paradise actor began. "I've talked about this from the very beginning, I also have OCD, so when I came across this part, it was a very exciting moment for me to play this character."
Ben continued: "My symptoms, I guess you could say, are very different and sort of present in different ways to the professor, and I also had cognitive behavioural therapy to help me, I suppose you could say, ameliorate [them].
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© Photo: RexBen appeared on Tuesday's This Morning
"It's not the sort of thing that ever goes away, but it's become very liveable. So for me it's very emotional to play this character because he's completely unashamed. I was always very ashamed of my OCD, that's one of the reasons why I got the treatment, [Professor T] doesn't really care. He makes everyone else go along with every single tiny detail of his regime."
The actor, who is also known for his role in Netflix smash-hit Bridgerton, also revealed more emotional ties to the show – explaining how he had original plans to become a professor, and that the character's house in real life is in fact a former friend's home, where the actor wrote his first bit of comedy writing.
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© Photo: ITVThe actor is back for series two of Professor T
"I went to Cambridge and I'd have loved to have been a professor!" he told the presenters, before adding later: "The house that plays the Professor's house, if you like, that's where I wrote my first ever comedy sketch.
"It really was truly strange to turn up on the set and say 'Are we filming here?' It was spooky, emotional, the whole show has been very emotional."
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