Commenting on Jonny Wilkinson’s decision to open up about his battle with depression in his autobiography, Director of Time to Change, the anti-stigma campaign run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, Sue Baker said:

“Jonny is a key figure-head in British sport and now he’s a hero in our eyes because of his braveness to speak out about his depression. This is a helpful step forward in encouraging more people to be open about their own mental health problems and makes him even more of a role model for people who share his experiences.

“We all need to take our heads out of the sand where mental health is concerned and the only way we can do this is to get people talking. Our latest campaign 'It's time to talk, it's Time to Change' aims to do just this by encouraging people to be more open about mental health issues, which affect one in four of us.  Time to Change also hopes to encourage more high profile figures from all walks of life with mental health problems to speak out about their experiences and play their part in overcoming the stigma of this common health issue.”

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This story was covered on The Sun Online and the Daily Mail Online on 9 November 2011.

Many other sporting stars have also experienced mental health problems including Frank Bruno, Michael Yardy, Marcus Trescothick, Tony Adams and Kelly Holmes.

Interviews are available with Time to Change Director Sue Baker.  To organise an interview or for more information about the Time to Change campaign please contact Hayley Richardson, Senior Media Officer, on 07789 721 966 or email [email protected]

Notes to Editors

• Time to Change is a programme run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, set up in 2007, that tackles mental health stigma and discrimination. It works closely with people with mental health problems to build their confidence and leadership skills to address stigma. Time to Change is funded by the Department of Health and Comic Relief.