MONEY MAN'S PAIN
Martin Lewis’ agony over ‘very dark days’ as he shares mental health battle
Despite coming across as 'incredibly robust' on TV, the consumer champion said he is 'actually quite a brittle person'
MARTIN Lewis has revealed his agony over "very dark days" as he opened up about his mental health battle.
The Money Saving Expert, 51, said he finds the stress of being a trusted voice in the UK "very difficult to manage".
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The financial journalist and consumer champion said people see him as an "incredibly robust" person given the way he comes across on TV, but he is actually "quite a brittle person".
The 51-year-old, who hosts The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV, described the pressure of being one of the UK's most trusted voices as "horrendous" and "awful".
Speaking to The Media Show on BBC Radio 4, Martin said: "I'm tired.
"It's an incredible compliment, but I find it very difficult.
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"I have my dark days mental health-wise.
"One of the greatest difficulties with me is you think, 'Have I got it right? Have I got it right? Have I got it right?'"
Martin added that his "professional paranoia" was his biggest strength over the last two decades.
"I try to take breaks, I do some breathing... Lots and lots of walking, I do huge amounts of exercise," he said.
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"But I do find the stress very difficult to manage, and I would not set myself up as an example of how to manage and cope with huge levels of stress when it's going through, because I'm really poor at it.
"[And] I tend to find most of the time I can deal with it, and then I have periods where I find it very, very difficult to deal with, and I struggle with some functionality to be able to do it."
The Money Saving Expert also described himself as an "absolute perfectionist pedant".
He said: "My first rule is know it inside out to two levels deeper than the amount you're going to explain.
"I like to have a model in my head of how things work."
It comes after fans were demanding the return of Angellica Bell to the Martin Lewis Money Show - weeks after her "secret" sacking.
The presenter had co-hosted the ITV show since 2017.
But she did not return for series 13 when it aired in October this year.
The Sun recently revealed Angellica was sacked with "no warning" just days before filming began.
Producers claimed her decision to appear on Channel 5's The Gadget Show - freshly re branded as Shop Smart, Save Money - was a conflict of interest.
She was replaced by Team GB athlete Jeanette Kwakye.
Despite being five episodes into the new series, fans were still demanding Angellica's return on Tuesday evening.
One fumed on X: "@itvMLshow where's Angellica Bell, not the same without her."
Angellica helped the programme receive a nomination for a TV BAFTA after joining six years ago.
A source close to the show told The Sun earlier this month: "Angellica was a valued part of the team having joined in series seven.
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"But, given the importance of maintaining a clear, individual and distinct identity for the show it was felt that her new role meant she would not be offered a new contract to continue on the Martin Lewis Money Show Live."
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