Chat king Ryan Tubridy has revealed that he attended therapy sessions after he struggled to cope with the death of his father.
The Late Late Show host said he found himself in an ‘existential crisis’ following the passing of his father Pat in 2013.
However, the TV host gave up after three sessions believing it ‘wasn’t for him’.
The Dubliner, who has interviewed celebrities from home and abroad for more than a decade, explained that he couldn’t ‘break out of chat show mode’.
He said: “For me, it’s all about a time and a place. It just wasn’t the right thing for me at the time.”
However, in a recent interview Tubridy admitted that he had slightly eased his stance on therapy and said he wouldn’t rule it out in the future.
Tubridy was speaking to Irish writer Emer McLysaght who was a guest on his radio show. She explained that she had spent time in a psychiatric institution in the past and spoke about the importance of people getting the right help for them when they need it.
Tubridy was full of praise for his guest and her openness. He said: “I loved her honesty because for too long we’ve just been hinting at these conversations.
“So yes, there might be a time again in the future when I might feel the need to talk to somebody else.
“I wouldn’t rule that out.
“Therapy is really important and every so often we need to take our brains out for a walk down a different path.”
The veteran presenter has interviewed countless famous faces during his time as host of the Late Late Show, and believes time is a great teacher.
Part of his role is to make his guests feel comfortable and relaxed enough to share a little about themselves with the studio audience and home viewers.
However, as a national celebrity himself, Tubridy understands the importance of keeping a strong balance between private life and public image.
He said: “All that you experience, the great love, the great loss, all that allows you, as you get older, to understand people better.
“It allows you to empathize and sympathize because you too have been there.
“Despite what people think about the life I may or may not lead, your experience of life doesn’t change because you’re the host of a chat show.
“I understand all that but I think people would be pleasantly surprised by the life I lead and how ordinary it is in many respects.
“I open the gate a bit into my life but not the front door. You can only give away so much because you have to protect yourself.”
