Nadia Sawalha, 56, hosts a parenting podcast with her husband Mark Adderley, as well as her panellist role on Loose Women. In an exclusive chat with Express.co.uk, the presenter opened up about some of the heartbreaking messages she has received in response to her show from her younger listeners.
Nadia voiced her shock at how young people listen to her podcast Confessions of a Modern Parent, admitting some of them reach out to her about their mental health.
She explained: “We never expected when we started doing this podcast that actually young people would listen to it.
“But it’s been fascinating how many young people listen to the podcast.
“And they will reach out with messages, DMing me on Instagram.”
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However, Nadia admitted how some of the notes she receives “break her heart”.
She continued: “Oh my God, and just there’s so much pain and suffering going on.
“They break your heart because some of them are in chaotic, difficult homes where they are definitely not getting the attention they need.
“And there are others that are in great families and they will say, ‘I love my family, my family is amazing but they have no idea how low I’m feeling.’
“‘I am not going to say anything, nobody in my home ever talks about what they’re actually thinking, everybody avoids it.’
“You just think, ‘Oh my God, oh my God’, it just really scares me what we’ve got down the road, I think.”
The Loose Women presenter also opened up about parenting her daughters Kiki, 13, and Maddy, 18, during lockdown.
Nadia explained how they talk about mental health daily at home, and she has encouraged her daughters to see a therapist.
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She explained: “I say to my girls, ‘It is no different than your physical health, you know, you go to the gym, if you’re struggling, you can talk to a counsellor.’
“Actually both of them talk to a counsellor and have done on and off through lockdown.
“I was just really aware that this is the most… I mean I think a lot of people came late to the party when considering young people’s mental health.”
Nadia was talking ahead of working with Network Rail and British Transport Police on a campaign encouraging parents to discuss the dangers of trespassing on railway tracks.
This comes after fears lockdown easing could cause a spike in young people taking risks.
The Loose Women star explained her worries about this, encouraging people to talk openly with their children.
She continued: “I think even the most sensible kid can get caught up in peer pressure.
“So even if you think that your child would never do anything like that, it’s worth having a conversation with them.”
Nadia Sawalha is supporting Network Rail and British Transport Police’s campaign. Find out more and watch the campaign film at youvstrain.co.uk.