Chris Evans welcomes The Sun Millies heroes to Virgin Radio as RAF pilot opens up about mental health
CHRIS Evans welcomed two military heroes into Virgin Radio this morning ahead of tonight's glittering Millies.
The DJ was joined by Squadron Leaders Roger Cruickshank and Jonathon Lowe, who are both nominated in the individual Hero Oversea category.
Jonathon, 31, is a trail-blazing doctor who was stationed in Antarctica last March when a civilian contractor became desperately unwell.
The patient’s chances of survival were slim, and Jonathon faced a five-day, 3,500-mile journey to Chile with the ill man that would test his medical skills.
Roger is a 37-year-old typhoon pilot who took out two dozen terrorist fighters despite his plane's computer not allowing his weapon to fire.
Opening up about that day and his wish for people to speak more freely about their mental health, he told Chris: "A very busy day in the office over Iraq. And yeah, I'm just glad it went well.
"I've been campaigning over mental health campaigning since 2010 and that's been keeping me busy.
"I've been trying to promote how we must fight the stigma attached to mental health and really be open and honest as best we can.
"I lost my mother to suicide back in 2010 and it's, as you can imagine, one thing that will stay with me forever.
"It really changed my perspective on life from that moment. But I really felt the stigma attached to mental health and everything around it."
He added: "I remember getting over the grief and and going home and back to work and I couldn't even tell my housemates.
"I wasn't embarrassed and it wasn't that I felt awkward - I could tell them anything - but I just didn't know how to broach it. I didn't know how to get there. I didn't know the language to use."
The pair got given a special welcome from Chris's co-star Vassos Alexander, who told Roger and Jonathon: "I'm going to give you three extra awards, hopefully in addition to the awards you win tonight.
"So, first of all, the smartest people ever to be in the studio. Second of all, the people with the most medals ever to be in the studio.
"And third of all, people with the shiniest shoes ever to walk into this studio."
Chris added: "OK. Can I give another one? The people that we've felt most safe with in the studio."
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky is on Virgin Radio weekdays from 6.30am