Tony’s 25 years of mental health hell
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH
TONY SLATTERY?
BBC2, 9pm
ONE of the most successful comedians of the late 80s and early
90s, Tony Slattery, became a household name on improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Part of the Cambridge Footlights set that included Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson, he was a huge star but vanished from our screens in 1996 amid rumours of a breakdown.
For 25 years he has withdrawn from the world, battling with depression, drugs and alcohol. But now the 60-year-old wants to explore the possibility of a diagnosis. He says: “That is not easy and it is a puzzle, and that’s why I want to get to the bottom of it, not just for me but for anyone else who suffers.”
In this intimate and fascinating film, cameras follow Tony, who lives with his partner of 32 years, Mark Hutchinson, as he investigates his mental health.
He’s been diagnosed with depression, but could he have bipolar disorder?
And while he kicked his cocaine habit a couple of decades ago, could his alcohol intake still be a concern?
Hugely pained, Tony speaks to experts, opens up about his mood swings, and meets up with old pal Stephen Fry, someone who has also suffered poor mental health.
There’s an extraordinary moment when Tony talks about a shockingly painful childhood trauma, and there are also some deeply poignant scenes between Tony and Mark.
Mark says: “It’s tiring, caring for someone, loving someone, who is constantly on the edge.”
Can Tony find what he wants? “I just want to get back into real life,” he says.