Cricket star Rev. Andrew Flintoff released an intimate documentary on Good Morning Britain today about his struggles with bulimia and his life with eating disorders.
Known to many by his two-year-old top gear presenter and former England captain Freddie, he said that during his career, he developed the ‘Freddie’ personality as a “cop ping mechanism”.
GMB presenter Pierce Morgan talked about his two obvious personalities, with Freddie adding, “I had to face the time as a way to deal with them. Don’t get me wrong, it was also a lot of fun.”
Freddie revealed in 2014 that he suffered from an eating disorder during his playing career.
Bulimia is an eating disorder, because when people lose control and eat too much food in a very short time, which is known as binge eating, and then intentionally get sick, or use laxatives, they lose what they eat. Try to stop gaining any weight by restricting, or exercising too much.
In the Freddie Flintoff documentary: Living with Bilimia, which airs at 9pm tonight, he also meets people suffering from eating disorders and asks if they need professional help for the first time.
GMB co-host Suzanne Reid said: “This is generally considered to be something that hurts women which makes it difficult for men to speak.”
But Freddie said: “The number of men suffering from eating disorders is higher … higher than people can understand.”
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The sports star revealed that she had talked to almost no dietitian when she was 20, but when she said she was talking about the dancer’s suffering, but did not believe there was any eating disorder in the “men’s room”.
He added: “I’m 6 feet 4 inches from Preston, I don’t mean to have a eating disorder … I’m still not 100% comfortable with the documentary exit … and the reaction … but I suppose I’m more comfortable in my own skin . “
About the documentary, he said: “When we started making it, we weren’t sure what we were making to be honest, but as we solved it, we met some amazing people.
“… I learned a lot about myself … I need to have a word with me and keep myself in check.”
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Freddie added: “This is not something I have treated or seen for anyone”, but added that he believes he should “maybe” get help.
He said: “This is the thing to be aware of, I thought bulimik is the act of getting sick after eating … its other ways manifest, it’s training.”
He added: “I’m doing everything right but I could be better.”
Freddie is focusing on treatment.
* Freddie Flintoff: Living with Bulimia will be broadcast on BBC One in the evening
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