Johnny Vegas forced to halt filming of new C4 series after mental health issues
JOHNNY Vegas was forced to halt filming of his new show after battling crippling mental health issues left him fearing for his life.
The TV comedian was making a second series of his fly-on-the-wall show Carry On Glamping when he had to stop but, after taking time out, he returned to share his struggles with the Channel 4 cameras.
In a moving admission that will air when the show returns on January 24, Johnny said: “I don’t want to be dramatic, but I don’t know if I would be here discussing it now.
“I honestly thought I was dying. It was horrible.
“I felt my body was shutting down. A lot of things were building up and with the (glamping) site, there was so much to get done.
“I was coping, I was drinking, getting through stuff, still living it large and my body and mind weren’t up for that. It was like being snow blind.”
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The programme follows Johnny and his long-suffering assistant Bev at his Field Of Dreams site in Derbyshire.
After realising he was at breaking point, Johnny spoke to doctors who advised he immediately clocked out.
Describing his state of mind, Johnny — real name Michael Pennington — said: “I can’t see the wood from the trees, everybody wants something from me and I’ve got nothing left to give. I am running on empty.
“I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t put the brakes on.”
Johnny was diagnosed with ADHD in December 2022 and hopes his brave decision to talk about his mental health on TV will help others.
He told me: “After a rough time of it, I’m starting to feel very lucky for what I’ve got and for the people I’ve got around me. I’m happy.
“I’m nervous about this series because there’s a lot of Michael [Johnny’s real name] in it, it’s not just Johnny, and it was really hard having to down tools and admit I wasn’t coping, especially on camera.
“But hopefully people will see it’s all right not to be all right.”
- Johnny Vegas: Carry On Glamping returns on January 24, Channel 4, 9pm.
A HOTEL HELL FOR MICHAEL
JACK Whitehall's dad Michael came to grief on their new Netflix travelogue Fatherhood With My Father – before he’d even left his hotel.
He said: “I suffered a black eye in Berlin filming the new series. I was in a tiny corner of a hotel room in the pitch dark and I tripped and fell forward on to the bed.”
Jack’s mum, actress Hilary, added: “Tripgate was traumatic. Michael got his foot trapped in one of the straps around one of the cases.
“He broke his fall with his ear, hitting it on the bed frame. He also had a black ear.
“When he lifted his head off the bed there was blood everywhere.
“There was a lot of blood on these white sheets – it was quite like Psycho.
“I called Jack 15 times but I could not get hold of him.”
The dad to four-month-old daughter Elsie was probably catching up on sleep.
EMILY IN SKIT
EMILY in Paris is back as Lily Collins goes for gold with her toughest PR pitch yet.
In a fun new skit to promote NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lily reprises her Netflix role as madcap marketing exec Emily Cooper.
She presents a wacky new uniform for Team USA, with real life athlete Noah Lyles modelling the impractical, caped unitard.
Chaos ensues as the cape billows into the faces of the other sprinters.
It’s a tease for fans who face a long wait for series four of the Netflix smash, after production was delayed due to the US writers’ strike.
Speaking at the Tudum event in June, Lily said: “We have more fun, more fashion, and, of course, more drama in store.
“While Emily’s heart will always remain true to Paris, her life takes an unexpected twist this season. Don’t be surprised to find her on a Roman holiday.”
But Emily’s assured of glory and sprays champagne all over the board members.
Cheers!
A GLOBAL GLAM-IN
FORMER contenders from RuPaul's Drag Race UK are returning for a second bid for the crown in a new series, Drag Race UK Vs The World.
British drag queens Tia Kofi, Jonbers Blonde, Gothy Kendoll and Choriza May will face queens from Australia, the US, the Philippines and Europe.
Joining Mama Ru in judging the show, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and a host of celebrity guests will pick the ultimate queen of the world.
Get ready for a catfight.
JUNGLE SHOCK FOR TINIE
TINIE TEMPAH was given a bug warning on the latest episode of Channel 4 show Extraordinary Extensions.
It wasn’t about listening devices, but real-life creepy crawlies as a kitchen was turned into a living jungle.
The owner, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, splashed out £100,000 on covering a wall entirely with plants.
An insider said: “There’s a huge risk with the project in episode two – BUGS!
“It’s the first time we’ve seen something with live plants being built inside a property, and with the plants come the warnings of an insect infestation.”
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Indeed, fumigators were on hand in case it goes wrong.
Tinie’s seen it all on his property show from hidden pools to high-tech cat flaps, but the jungle wall tops the lot.
SAM CAN HIT BLUES
SAM THOMPSON will be back on This Morning today – a week after his debut.
The I’m A Celeb winner is gearing up to bring some sunshine to ITV viewers on Blue Monday, which is dubbed the most depressing day of the year.
A source told me: “Sam was great fun on the show last week and the bosses were keen for him to banish the Blue Monday blues with a return to the show.
“He’s the happy-go-lucky King of the Jungle – the perfect tonic.”