Rebecca Gibney reveals the darkest period of her life as a recovering 'people pleaser' with a 'not normal' brain - ahead of her Dancing With The Stars debut
She's a Logie-winning actress and a TV favourite but behind the glowing smile, Rebecca Gibney has been quietly battling demons she now says nearly broke her.
The Halifax f.p. star, 60, has opened up about the darkest chapter of her life -revealing she has long struggled with debilitating panic attacks, chronic people-pleasing tendencies and what she describes as a 'not normal' brain.
'I've got too many drop-down tabs going in my head. I can hyper focus on one thing and then I get panicked because I've let the other thing slide,' she told The Daily Telegraph.
'I suffered from panic attacks from the age of 14 until well into my 30s. If I could change one thing I wish my brain was a bit more normal.'
Gibney, who is set to make her debut on Dancing With The Stars on Sunday, said the mental toll of the show was far greater than she expected and triggered deep-seated fears of not being 'good enough' that have plagued her since childhood.
'It was absolute sheer terror,' she confessed. 'I had moments where I resorted back to a 12-year-old being judged... it was really bizarre. You feel like you've let yourself down. You've let everyone else down.'
Despite a successful career spanning four decades, Gibney says it's only now - after years of inner work - that she is learning to let go of perfectionism and prioritise her own wellbeing.
'I've probably always been a bit of a people pleaser – I think I inherited that from Mum. I can't enjoy myself unless everyone is too,' she said.
'As I get older, I'm getting better at setting boundaries… as my husband Richard says, "I'm not using up my happy pills on people that don't deserve it anymore".'
Gibney has already been already proving that she'll be the fan favourite to beat on the upcoming season of the Channel Seven dance contest, which premieres on Sunday at 7.00pm.
In March, she sent pulses racing by sharing a behind-the-scenes sneak peak at her dance training for the reality TV competition.
'Who would have thought I would ever get close to doing the splits again at my age,' the New Zealand-born actress humbly captioned the candid photo.
In the image, she appears to be practising a tango with her dance partner Ian Waite, who holds her leg outstretched well above his hip.
Gibney, who is set to make her debut on Dancing With The Stars on Sunday, said the mental toll of the show was far greater than she expected and triggered deep-seated fears of not being 'good enough' that have plagued her since childhood
Gibney sold the sultry emotion of the dance as she tucked her head into Ian's embrace - with only the dancer's arms around her lithe frame keeping the Logie Hall of Fame member aloft.
She recently freely admitted filming DTWS is 'the most challenging thing' she's ever done.
'Will I come out of it a pro dancer? No. Has there been tears? Yes. Lots' she said on social media.
'But it's also the most rewarding, amazing thing I've ever done,' Rebecca added.
'To be learning a new skill and being taught by one of the best in the world who is also such a beautiful human is an experience I will never ever forget. Thank you Ian and DTWS.
'More shows this week. Let's gooo.'
The cast of Dancing With The Stars Australia for 2025 is shaping up as one of the most impressive seasons yet, and she joins an all-star cast alongside Osher Günsberg and Shaun Micallef.
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