Alistair Appleton inside his home looking concerned© Instagram

Escape to the Country's Alistair Appleton's secret health struggle and how he 'transformed' life

The Escape to the Country presenter changed his life over ten years

Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead
5 hours ago

Alistair Appleton is a beloved face on Escape to the Country, however, the presenter has previously endured a secret health battle.

The star and qualified psychotherapist previously shared that in 2012 he went through a period of anxiety following a difficult part of his life, which saw him break up with a partner. At the time, Alistair was also attempting to renovate a house, was working long hours and had just completed a long therapy course.

In a previous interview, the 54-year-old shared: "At the time I didn't know it was anxiety, but I couldn't sleep, felt constantly tired, and worried about everything."

He added that he has since worked on ways to "transform" and deal with the condition over the past 10 years, adding: "In the last 10 years, I've worked hard to understand and transform my anxiety. And that's one of the things I help other people to overcome too."

Alistair Appleton is best known for presenting Escape to the Country© Instagram
Alistair opened up about his mental health

Alistair has previously been open about his mental health, admitting that he initially had "imposter syndrome" when he started his broadcasting career.

Speaking to Fantastic Man in 2007, he confessed: "For a long time, I felt like a complete fraud presenting all these shows and not even being a homeowner."

© Naked West/Fremantle
The presenter is a beloved member of the Escape to the Country family

On his website, Mind Springs, Alistair also wrote: "I was pretty unhappy. I was drinking a lot, doing a lot of drugs, going out a lot. And so I think the better part of me just sensed that was not a path I wanted to pursue through my 30s so I gave it all up. I have quite a strong will really."

Alistair eventually turned to Buddhism and took up Ashtanga yoga. Although he considered becoming a monk during a trip to Thailand, he was talked out of the idea by a close friend.

© Instagram
The star is also a qualified psychotherapist

In an interview with Hampshire Live about becoming a psychotherapist, he said: "I loved that work so much that I started to get a bit disenchanted with all the crazy schedules of TV filming and I decided five years ago to re-train as a psychotherapist. That was the best decision of my life and I think I’ve hit my 40s in much better shape than I hit my 30s."

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