- Bruno checks himself into rehab for exhaustion
Fears that heavyweight's mental health problems have returned after split from girlfriend
Boxing legend Frank Bruno has checked himself into a clinic for exhaustion amid fears his mental health problems have returned.
The former world heavyweight champ fell ill after embarking on a gruelling fitness campaign to prepare for a string of public appearances.
He is said to be suffering from mental and physical exhaustion and is heartbroken after splitting from a girlfriend who he claims helped him to “see the light at the end of the tunnel” in life.
One of 50-year-old Frank’s appearances was to have been a warts-and-all recorded TV interview on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories due to have been screened last week.
ITV sources revealed it had been pulled and it is unclear if it will ever be broadcast.
Friends say the fighter, who has bipolar disorder and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act in 2003, bravely made the decision to go into a private hospital himself earlier this month.
They say he needs “time out” to recover after displaying signs of odd behaviour.
His family – including his children Nicola, 29, Rachel, 25 and 16-year-old Franklyn – are supporting the much-loved former sportsman.
“Frank is a fighter and is getting the little bit of help which he needs to get back to his old-self,” a close friend told the Sunday Mirror yesterday.
“All his friends and family are rallying round and are confident he will soon be back to his best.”
The pal said his relapse had been triggered by strenuous training to lose weight and look his best for the Piers Morgan interview.
“He was running and doing two lots of four-hour gym sessions a day. Some nights he was getting up after just two hours sleep then going back to the gym,” said our source.
“The Piers Morgan show is a big thing to do and he was worried that being on TV would add half a stone on to him. He wanted to look as good as possible
“But lack of sleep and stress brings on bipolar in a big way and Frank and his family and friends were worried things were getting on top of him. He was showing signs of not being himself.”
Andy Stenning
His friends were left particularly worried a fortnight ago when Frank, a West Ham fan, turned up at rivals Tottenham’s White Hart Lane to watch Spurs play Swansea.
“It was an uncharacteristic and odd thing for him to do,” a pal said. “Frank is a West Ham fanatic. He arrived at the game well after kick-off, stayed 20 minutes and shook hands with some supporters, then just got up and left.”
Adding to the pressure was a recent break-up with his girlfriend, a Scottish hairdresser, said the friend.
“The end of the relationship may have contributed to the stress Frank has been under,” he said.
“For the first time in a long, long while Frank had found happiness”. In a moving interview with this newspaper last year national
treasure Frank spoke openly about his fight with mental illness and being sectioned.
treasure Frank spoke openly about his fight with mental illness and being sectioned.
He said: “I’m not ashamed to say I needed help. Getting put in hospital meant I could stop, get myself sorted and come back stronger.
“Up until that point I wouldn’t surrender, I wouldn’t give in.”
Frank’s agent Dave Davies yesterday confirmed the ex-boxer was receiving treatment, saying he needed to “take better care of himself”.
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