Latest news with #Blumenthal
The Journal
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal reveals he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act in 2023
TV CHEF HESTON Blumenthal says he believes that his wife sectioning him is the 'best thing' that could have happened as he pushed for awareness on him living with bipolar disorder. The restaurateur, 58, who presented Channel 4 shows Heston's Fantastical Food and Heston's Feasts, has taken on a role as official ambassador for Bipolar UK, after he was diagnosed with the mental health condition in November 2023. According to the NHS, a person can be detained, also known as sectioning, under the Mental Health Act (1983) and can be treated without their agreement as they 'need urgent treatment for a mental health disorder and are at risk of harm to themselves or others'. Blumenthal opened up about his bipolar symptoms on BBC One's morning programme BBC Breakfast, saying he 'hallucinated a gun on the table', was 'talking about suicide', and 'thought the TV was talking to me'. He added: 'This wasn't all the time, but it was getting greater and greater, and being sectioned was the best thing that could happen to me.' Blumenthal said it 'was really difficult' for his wife, French businesswoman Melanie Ceysson, who he married in 2023. He said: 'She had to decide how I would take it and … my response was, I embraced it, but I never thought I was going to be diagnosed as being bipolar, (and) I thought at the time, the highs and the lows were normal, but they weren't. 'And they weren't right for me, and they weren't right for the people around me that … cared for me.' Advertisement Blumenthal said that 'there was a 20-year period where (my imagination) was running riot in a positive way', noting his out of the box creations he made while helming the three Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck and making coming up with recipes for bacon ice cream and triple-cooked chips. 'I've also got (behaviour condition) ADHD, and the combination of those two – they compound things,' he added. 'So I don't know how much of my bipolarism, let's say, contributed to all the creativity or not. 'And even though the lows are low, you can have mixed, mixed moments as well. Someone asked the other day: If there was a button I could press to turn off my bipolar – would I press it? No, I wouldn't, because it's part of me.' Blumenthal says when he looks back to before he was sectioned, and realised that 'a lot of things I did were slightly bizarre or quite extreme, and they weren't, they weren't right'. He added: 'This is a really big thing, because every person … that has bipolar, there was a big group of people around them that have to live with it, which is a big thing. 'So I thought that everything was was normal, only since the medication, and coming out of hospital, and I've done a lot of work on myself, I can look back and see how extreme things got.' Blumenthal said he was in a 'lucky position to give something back' as he becomes the ambassador for the charity, and hopes to change perceptions in his new role. According to Bipolar UK, bipolar is an episodic disorder characterised by sometimes extreme changes in mood and energy which has the highest risk of suicide of any mental health condition. If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can reach out for support through the following helplines. These organisations also put people in touch with long-term supports: Shine — 01 860 1610 or 086 040 7701, phone lines are monitored Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm (mental health difficulties including schizophrenia and psychosis , individual and family support) Samaritans – 116 123 or email jo@ (suicide, crisis support) Text About It – text HELLO to 50808 ( mental health issues ) Aware – 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety) Pieta House – 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 ( suicide, self-harm ) Teen-Line Ireland – 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19) Childline – 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
40,000 U.S. troops at risk if Iran responds to an attack
They would be vulnerable to counterattacks that could involve Iranian ballistic missiles, drones or terrorism should the United States join Israel in its ongoing attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran can strike "all of them," a U.S. Defense official said. The threat isn't theoretical. Iran launched 13 ballistic missiles at U.S. troops in Iraq in January 2020. That attack, which wounded about 100 U.S. troops, followed the U.S. drone strike that killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, part of the country's hardline paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps. On June 18, President Donald Trump didn't dispel the possibilty of entering the war. "I may do it. I may not do it," Trump told reporters June 18. "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do." More: 'Nobody knows what I'm going to do': Trump says he hasn't decided whether to strike Iran If the United States does attack Iran's nuclear facilities, a likely weapon is the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a bomb that can burrow deep into the earth before unleashing a huge explosion. More: How does a bunker-buster bomb work? A closer look at the GBU-57 This week, to bolster protection for Americans in the Middle East, the Pentagon has begun shifting more firepower to the region, including the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group, which is days away from arriving. Those ships will join others capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. The added warplanes from the Nimitz and others in the region would be able to deliver a devastating response in Iran if they did attack U.S. troops, according to the U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. Asked whether there were adequate protections in place to repel an Iranian attack, a Pentagon spokesperson pointed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's X post on June 16. Hegseth noted the "deployment of additional capabilities" to the region and that the protection of U.S. troops is "our top priority." On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee that "maximum protection" measures were in place. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat on the committee, said he found Hegseth unconvincing. "I was really disappointed that he failed to offer greater assurance that we have taken active measures to protect U.S. personnel, both military and civilian, in the event of a strike by the United States," Blumenthal said in an interview. "I asked specifically about drones and possibility of using them against American targets. I had no real comfort that there are adequate plans to stop or deflect such attacks." Dispatching the Nimitz strike group is a good step, Blumenthal said. But he questioned the ships' ability to stop terrorist attacks or swarms of drones. Blumenthal also noted that Iran may have the ability to mount drone attacks from within the United States. He pointed to Ukraine's devastating drone attack on Russian warplanes deep inside its border. Israel, too, used drones smuggled into Iran as part of its attack.
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Heston Blumenthal says moment he was sectioned was ‘like a nightmare'
The restaurateur has spoken widely of his mental health issues in recent months, and told the I'm ADHD! No You're Not podcast that 'talking is the most important thing'. 'Sharing stories helps us realise we are not alone,' he said. 'The more we share, the more we normalise. 'It's OK to not be OK. 'I had an awful lot of wonderful responses to the things that I've been saying and talking about. 'From either people that have bipolar, or neurodiverse people. 'Also from people who've lived with people with bipolar.' Blumenthal, who presented Channel 4 shows Heston's Fantastical Food and Heston's Feasts, was sectioned following a manic episode and given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in November 2023. Appearing on the podcast, which is presented by comedian Paul Whitehouse and his wife Dr Mine Conkbayir, Blumenthal described how he was forcibly pinned down on his sofa and given an injection to sedate him so he could be sectioned. 'There were nine people there, and they said, 'We're going to give you an injection and take you to hospital'. 'I got pinned on the sofa, my arms crossed, two people on each arm. 'I was fighting, and I saw the doctor pull out this massive syringe and I thought it was like a nightmare I used to have as a kid.' Blumenthal, known for his experimental dishes including snail porridge and bacon and egg ice cream, has been awarded seven Michelin stars over the course of his career. An hour-long film, Heston: My Life With Bipolar, is due to air on BBC Two on Thursday. You can listen to I'm ADHD! No You're Not wherever you get your podcasts.
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Blumenthal demands to see Pentagon's plan to deploy military domestically
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Wednesday asked the Trump administration to share its plans to deploy active duty military in cities across the U.S. Why it matters: President Trump's decision to send active duty Marines and National Guard to Los Angeles following pro-immigrants' rights protests sparked more demonstrations nationwide. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sparked additional backlash after she said the goal is to " liberate" Los Angeles from its elected Democratic leaders during a press conference where Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed. What they're saying: "I have been deeply disturbed and alarmed by the use of active-duty troops, Marines in Los Angeles," Blumenthal said. "And President Trump has made clear his intentions to continue to use the military to suppress dissent and likely inflame tensions there and elsewhere all under the guise of enforcing the law. What he's doing may well be illegal." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back on the claim that the deployments have been illegal, but he did not confirm whether contingency plans were in place for using military in other cities. Driving the news: "I take it from your answer that you do have contingency plans for the use of military in other cities," Blumenthal said. Hegseth did not address Blumenthal's request. Context: The Trump administration this month sent nearly 5,000 National Guard members and Marines to Los Angeles in response to anti-immigration raid protests. He also On Tuesday, the Pentagon said another 700 military personnel were sent to aid immigration enforcement in Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Zoom out: Several Senate Democrats criticized Hegseth's leadership during the Wednesday hearing, which was meant to focus on Trump's 2026 budget request. "This is a moment that requires leadership, expertise and competence from the Department of Defense," Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said in his opening remarks. "And Mr. Secretary, I am concerned frankly that these qualities have been eroded under your leadership."
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Heston Blumenthal says moment he was sectioned was ‘like a nightmare'
Heston Blumenthal says moment he was sectioned was 'like a nightmare' "It's OK to not be OK." Heston Blumenthal has become an ambassador for Bipolar UK (Image: BBC/PA ) TV chef Heston Blumenthal has spoken of the moment he was sectioned as being like a living "nightmare" but said he has had a lot of "wonderful responses" from people after his diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The restaurateur has spoken widely of his mental health issues in recent months, and told the I'm ADHD! No You're Not podcast that "talking is the most important thing". "Sharing stories helps us realise we are not alone," he said. "The more we share, the more we normalise. "It's OK to not be OK. "I had an awful lot of wonderful responses to the things that I've been saying and talking about. Article continues below "From either people that have bipolar, or neurodiverse people. "Also from people who've lived with people with bipolar." Blumenthal, who presented Channel 4 shows Heston's Fantastical Food and Heston's Feasts, was sectioned following a manic episode and given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in November 2023. Appearing on the podcast, which is presented by comedian Paul Whitehouse and his wife Dr Mine Conkbayir, Blumenthal described how he was forcibly pinned down on his sofa and given an injection to sedate him so he could be sectioned. "There were nine people there, and they said, 'We're going to give you an injection and take you to hospital'. "I got pinned on the sofa, my arms crossed, two people on each arm. "I was fighting, and I saw the doctor pull out this massive syringe and I thought it was like a nightmare I used to have as a kid." Blumenthal, known for his experimental dishes including snail porridge and bacon and egg ice cream, has been awarded seven Michelin stars over the course of his career. An hour-long film, Heston: My Life With Bipolar, is due to air on BBC Two on Thursday. Article continues below You can listen to I'm ADHD! No You're Not wherever you get your podcasts.
