Freddie Flintoff became tearful as he opened up about suffering from Bulimia in a moving documentary on BBC.
The 42-year-old former sportsman spoke honestly about his relationship with food and how it has been living with an eating disorder.
Freddie got the chance to speak to a 33-year-old man Jamie who has been having treatment for bulimia for the past 11 months.
As he sat down with Jamie and a female doctor, Freddie admitted: "I’ve never spoken to a doctor about it and I’ve never met another bulimic."
Telling them both that he's not even sure if he's comfortable talking about it to them, he said: "I got to the point where I was throwing up every meal, and I’m not going to lie, I enjoyed the results."
Jamie told Freddie about his relationship with food and how his eating disorder spiralled out of control.
When he told the former cricket player that feeling full can still be a trigger for him, Freddie explained: "I get that feeling with food every time I eat, I reckon.
"Even if I’m eating the best of stuff, I still feel guilty of whatever I put in my mouth."
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He continued: "I still find it hard saying bulimia. I don’t know if it’s being a bloke but you feel like you should be able to stop it."
The Top Gear presenter went on to admit that he became paranoid about his appearance.
"I got a kicking the press for being fat and I thought everyone was looking at me," he said.
"I’m genuinely worried when this programme goes out, the reaction, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with that. I don’t like being vulnerable."
Becoming visibly upset, he said: "I didn’t expect to have this conversation with you and have so many things hit home for me.
"I’m welling up here and I don’t know why. I never cry, I never do."
Not enjoying the awkward silence, he then joked: "Someone speak, please!"
He then told Jamie and the doctor: "I didn’t expect all this, I just thought we were gonna have a chat. My mind’s whirring now."
He later added: "The more I spoke, the more I felt like I was trying to hide something. Which I don’t think I am.
"When that compulsion to be sick comes over me, or I feel really bad about food, I control that, it doesn’t control me. I have to have a word with myself."
Experts estimate that at least 1.5million people in the UK have an eating disorder like bulimia, of which 25% are male.
And yet, in this country, eating disorders are still considered to be an illness that teenage girls suffer with.
As a result, boys and men with eating disorders most often live in silence with the double stigma of having a mental health condition, and an illness that "only girls get".
If you have been affected by anything in this story, or if you're worried about your own or someone else's health, you can contact Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk
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