Love Island's Dr Alex George: 'Talking might have saved my brother'

Dr Alex George told BBC Breakfast it was "incredibly hard" for him to accept he was unable to help his brother

A Love Island star and A&E doctor who has been appointed the UK's youth mental health ambassador says talking may have saved his brother's life.

Dr Alex George, from Carmarthen, will help shape policy and advise on mental health support for children and young people.

Dr George, whose brother Llŷr took his own life last year, said: "He never told us that he was struggling.

"If there wasn't such a stigma... he might have asked for help," he said.

"I might have been able to do something about it. It's very hard for me to accept that," Dr George told BBC Breakfast.

When he died, Llŷr was aged just 19 and about to start medical school.

NHS staff need mental health support as they deal with the pandemic, says Dr George

"He was waiting for his A-level results and I think that put a huge amount of pressure on him academically, which I think a lot of students talk about. That combined with the pandemic as well," said Dr George.

"He took such a final decision and without sharing with me as an older brother, as an advocate for mental health... and that is not only painful but a real stark reminder that there is still stigma around mental health."

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"What I feel is that each day if I get up and I can actually now have the opportunity to help other people and have the backing of the prime minister to do that, then that really helps me and my family."

Since his appearance in Love Island in 2018, Dr George has been back in his day job, working in A&E at University Hospital Lewisham in London.

Mental health

Mental health support must also be given to the doctors, nurses and other staff dealing with the pandemic, he said.

"Diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety, depression in NHS staff, I'm afraid we're probably going to see that on the rise.

"We need to be there for the people who have cared for others throughout this, because it's been a long hard battle."

Dr Alex George found fame on reality TV - and has used his high profile to campaign on mental health

Since his appointment by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dr George has pledged to use his high profile to "move mountains".

"It's been an overwhelming week emotionally for me and my family. I met the prime minister on Tuesday and since then it's been a whirlwind. I've been blown away by the support from the public," he said.

"This crisis has been awful but one of the things I think we can take as a positive is that we've realised how vital it is that we look after ourselves".

He stressed the importance of supporting children and young people, especially during the Covid pandemic.

"They've had a hard time through this pandemic and we need to look after them," he said.