Reality TV star Jess Wright says she had ‘debilitating’ postnatal depression

Reality TV star Jess Wright has revealed she had “debilitating” postnatal depression, saying in a new BBC film that she wanted “the world to stop”.

The former The Only Way Is Essex cast member, 39, and her husband William Lee-Kemp have a child, Presley, who she had in May 2022.

In a film to be broadcast on the BBC’s Morning Live programme, Wright opens up about her experience of postnatal depression, exploring the condition with other women whose families have been affected by it.

In the film, Wright said: “Since my mid-20s I’ve lived with depression and anxiety.

“I take medication which generally keeps it under control.

“However, a few days after I had my son Presley I developed depression in a way I’d never experienced before – it was debilitating, I couldn’t enjoy anything with my new son and I wanted the world to stop so I could get off.”

According to NHS Inform, one in five women develop mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety, during pregnancy or the first year after having a child.

Wright explores these figures in the film by speaking to different women who have experienced the effects of postnatal depression.

She also revealed she was not given clear advice about her own medication during her pregnancy, saying: “It was quite a grey area when I was pregnant, about the medication that I’m on, whether I should come off it when I’m pregnant.

“Having a baby is wonderful but also tough for many people.

“But knowing where to turn for support has helped me feel better prepared if I decide to have another child.”

The film, made by BBC Studios Entertainment Productions, will air during Morning Live on Friday at 9.30am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.