World News – GB – Freddie Flintoff reveals the sad side of his success in the documentary

In Freddie Flintoff: Living With Bulimia, the hero of the ashes explains that he has, for more than half of his life, been made ill after eating

Playing cricket for England over the past two decades should have come with a health warning Several players, including Jonathan Trott and Marcus Trescothick, spoke of their experiences with depression and other health issues. mental health, and now best-known cricketer of his generation Andrew Flintoff has made a documentary for the BBC about his struggles with bulimia

In Freddie Flintoff: Living With Bulimia, on BBC One Tonight, the hero of the Ashes explains that he has, for more than half of his life, been made ill after eating, feeling guilty about the food and anxiety over weight gain In the hour-long film, he recalls his emergence in international cricket in 1998, when he was pilloried for his physique with titles like « England’s Vast Bowler » and ‘mocked for tipping the scales at a bigger mass than Lennox Lewis

« I became a big cricketer After getting nailed in the press I thought everyone was looking at me That’s when I started doing it, being sick after meals », He said

The film makes it clear that the popular image of Preston’s big bluff – which emptied bars by smashing sixes and then got stuck in pints afterwards – was only part of the story, and that a slightly younger vulnerable man lay below

Unfortunately, his shape increased as his weight decreased, which one imagines would have strengthened the connection, in his mind, between bulimia, weight, control and self-esteem and it is the Flintoff of 2005, massively strong but lean, which exists most in the imagination of the sports public

As long as the cricket test is being played, there will be plenty of moments from his Boy’s Own that will be talked about, but – as has been the case with many British sports success stories – it is now clear that in the behind the scenes, mental and physical health was either sacrificed or ignored.A visit to Lord’s, the scene of some of his greatest triumphs, sees him show the cameras around the washroom, which he ranked among the best on the circuit because of their low passage and their full-length cabin doors, allowing for discreet purging It’s very sad

In retirement, he embarked on his new career as a light entertainment personality and regular on challenge shows, including a brave but, even then, a pretty disturbing crack in amateur boxing Today, he trains his body to what might be considered an excessive degree: nine workouts a week, some of which require his personal trainer to lie down, and hour-long sessions on a stationary bike that show him looks completely exhausted In the now-familiar style of these « very personal journey » documents, he learns from psychologists and dietitians that his bulimia may be a symptom rather than a cause, but the deeper roots go beyond the scope of this film. is fair enough He maintains, however, on several occasions that he has more or less in control of the situation, even if the medical experts do not seem entirely convinced

He also recalls that 15 million people in the country « suffer from an eating disorder like bulimia » and that 25% of them are men Flintoff notes that there is a gender stigma linked at the request of help, this film therefore represents a noble effort in this regard

Among the documentary’s previews is a segment where Flintoff notes that he « has two different sides to his personality Fred is the person who goes out on the cricket pitch or drives cars, Andrew is the guy who s ‘worried about a lot of things, has her own insecurities « It’s interesting, then, that this comes out under the brand » Freddie « , the more brash and, to some tastes, more of the Top Gear TV presenter, rather than Andrew , considerably more caring and likeable But it is clear that this all-rounder has always been shot in two directions at once, and anyone who liked to watch him with a bat or a ball will surely wish him good health and a little peace with this problem

We strongly encourage you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future.

Andrew Flintoff, Bulimia nervosa, Good Morning Britain, Eating trouble, England cricket team, Cricket