Big Brother Winner, Secret Struggle: Jason Burrill on Suicide, Bullying & Success

What happens when the “good guy” from Big Brother – the man who seemed confident, calm, and collected – finally removes the mask?

In the opening episode of Series 9, filmed at our incredible new home Brown Bear Studios, Jason Burrill sits down for his first ever deep mental-health interview, and it’s one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had.

Jason reveals the truth behind the success, the fame, the acting career, the public persona… and the hidden mental health battles he’s carried since childhood bullying at age 11.

For decades he lived behind an act, Batman on stage, Bond on film sets, Big Brother winner on TV, while secretly battling anxiety, PTSD, emotional shutdown, fear, avoidance, and a near-fatal mental health crash that left him planning to end his life.

In this raw, vulnerable conversation, Jason shares:

• How bullying shaped every part of his adult life
• Why he couldn’t walk into Tesco, but could walk into the Big Brother house
• How success became a mask, not a feeling
• His darkest moment… and the phone call that saved him
• Why men struggle to open up
• How we can change the narrative for our sons, friends, fathers and future generations

This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in men’s mental health, resilience, trauma, identity, and redefining success beyond money, fame or status.

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 — Introduction

01:53 — What does happiness even look like?

04:30 — The “You Alright Mate?” check-in

07:59 — Bullying, masks, barriers & pushing people away

10:25 — Is pain the fuel behind success?

11:21 — Jason’s definition of success

14:45 — Money, happiness & the crash that changed everything

18:28 — Childhood, family, identity & early trauma

24:19 — Why relationships felt impossible

25:07 — Starting again after losing everything

27:38 — The truth about school bullying & survival

37:57 — Acting vs. everyday life: the paradox

44:56 — Authenticity, masks & telling friends the truth

46:45 — ADHD, anxiety, PTSD – making sense of it all

52:06 — The broken mental health system: Jason’s emergency call

58:22 — Boundaries, saying no & understanding yourself

1:01:01 — Why Jason wants to help kids in schools

1:06:41 — Reframing success & reframing failure

1:12:19 — How schools and parents can better support kids

1:19:34 — Social media, comparison & identity

1:27:00 — How Jason survived Big Brother

1:40:28 — Jason’s impact through charity & service

1:47:25 — A message to men who are struggling

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Jason Burrill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason.burrill

SPONSORED BY:

Brown Bear Studios -

Carpenter Box -

Rivervale – www.rivervale.co.uk

PRODUCED BY:

H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/

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