Gail Porter sectioned after breakdown

By Rebecca Coxon

Scottish television presenter Gail Porter was taken to hospital and detained under the Mental Health Act on Wednesday night, it has been reported.

The 40 year old former men’s magazine model was said to have been found locked in bathroom, distressed and with cuts on her arms and chest.

According to the Metro a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to an address in Belsize Park at approximately 21.00 hours on Wednesday following concerns for the welfare of a resident.

'A woman was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to a medical facility.'

Gail is now reported to be back at home recovering while her eight year old daughter Honey is being looked after by her father, Gail’s ex-husband Dan Hipgrave.

After the birth of her daughter in 2003, Gail was diagnosed with post-natal depression. Soon after Gail began to lose her hair and was later diagnosed with alopecia.

Gail has previously admitted to self-harming saying that she felt ‘a need to hurt herself’ when she feels stressed, and how she once ‘drew a razor across my arm. I really needed to hurt myself. It was a sort of punishment.’

Furthermore, in 2005 Gail overdosed on pills following the breakup of her marriage to Hipgrave which she claims was more a 'cry for help' than a suicide attempt.

However in February this year Porter admitted she had decided to stop taking her antidepressant medication insisting that exercising was helping her to keep a good balance.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, she said: 'I stopped taking it a year and a half ago. I didn't tell my doctor, which I know is bad. I just stopped. I've got back into fitness instead, and that's what really helped me.

'Exercise keeps me occupied, which is good for my mental health. You can go to the doctor a million times if you're feeling down, and get nowhere, but if you go for a run it makes you feel really good.'

This recent news, speculated to be a suicide attempt, is reported to be the second in only a few weeks, and friends say she had been rowing with her 25-year-old boyfriend Jonny Davies.

Speaking about her battle with depression following the birth of her daughter, Porter said in an interview:

‘You think, come on, everything's good and fine, and I can pull myself through it. I've got a nice house. A beautiful girl. How on earth can I be depressed? But you just can. It's horrible, horrible, horrible. It took a year and a half until I found out that I had post-natal depression.’

It’s very sad to hear that Gail is still suffering with depression and mental health problems and Uncovered wish her the very best with her recovery and hope she quickly receives the support she needs.