Coronation Street and Hollyoaks have been honoured for their episodes focusing on mental health issues.
At the Mind Media Awards 2018 on Thursday night (November 29), Corrie‘s Aidan Connor storyline, in which the character tragically took his own life, won in the Soaps and Continual Series category.
Shayne Ward, who played Aidan on the soap, said during the acceptance speech: “We need to keep breaking down those walls. We need to keep talking.
“I can see in this room there are probably so many people here who are afraid to talk. I just want to let you know personally that you do have a voice and we will listen.”
The charity’s Making a Difference award went to Hollyoaks “for using their platform to initiate change with their #DontFilterFeelings campaign”.
In the soap’s acceptance speech, producer Bryan Kirkwood shared a very personal story of the loss of his mother by suicide.
“It’s so important to us that shows like Hollyoaks dramatise the real-life experiences of our heroes,” he said. “It’s important to me personally – when I was 7, my mum took her own life after living with bipolar for many years.
“My family were scared and embarrassed and had no idea how to talk about it so, quite simply, they didn’t. It’s part of why I’ve told the mental health stories on Hollyoaks this year, to stop the stigma.”
We would encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Organisations who can offer support include Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), and Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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