Lady sybil: i’ve had an eating disorder since the age of 14
DOWNTON Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay has admitted she’s had an eating disorder since age 14. The 27-year-old, known to millions as Lady Sybil Crawley in the hit drama, said she hoped talking about her own issues would help others and called for a “mature conversation” about depression. The former ballerina said: “I’m doing Hamlet and it explores a lot about mental health and... I’ve had an eating disorder since I was 14. “We can feed certain ideas of what beauty is and what success is. There has to come a time when those aren’t the rules any more. Then we can have a mature conversation about what that is about – and about depression.” Jessica added: “I felt so alone for so long and I just hid. Then I started talking and held my head up and instead of saying sorry decided to tell myself I matter. “It’s about learning to stand up and say, ‘this is me and that’s OK’. I’m not going to be a better actor if I’m a dress size smaller.” Jessica did not specify which disorder she had struggled with but she said she had been in therapy, which made her appraise herself and decide, “I was going to help myself feel safe and good and healthy”. She added: “If you are lucky enough to speak and be heard, it might be useful to others.” Jessica returns to our screens on Monday in ITV Encore’s drama Harlots, about prostitution in London during the 18th Century. She said: “Women are still fighting for rights over our own bodies and for equality.”