Alfie Boe details depression battle following split from wife almost led him to taking his own life: ‘I went into a really dark place’Meghna Amin

Alfie opened up about his battle with depression on Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof (Picture: Getty / Rex)

Alfie Boe has revealed he almost took his own life and spent five weeks in rehab following his split from his wife almost two years ago.

The 48-year-old singer has opened up about suffering from depression after separating from his wife Sarah, who he married in 2004 and shares two children with.

Speaking on an upcoming episode of Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof, which sees celebrities take part in endurance challenges, Alfie admitted he was in a ‘really dark place’ after their separation in August 2020.

He emotionally revealed he spent five weeks in a rehabilitation facility after taking an overdose, but is now speaking out about it so he can help others.

According to The Mirror, Alfie says: ‘When my ­separation happened initially I went into a really dark place.

The tenor opened up about his depression battle (Picture: S Meddle/ITV/REX)

‘It’s weird to talk about, I’ve not spoken about this in public, but I’m willing to, if it can help anyone out there that needs that.

‘I’d gone through beating myself up and hating myself and not having any love for myself and it resulted in a foolish act of throwing some pills down my throat because I’d lost my way.’

He added that he ended up in a rehabilitation facility for five weeks, saying ‘it was a scary time.’

Alfie and Sarah tied the knot in 2004 and have two children together (Picture: Getty)

While holding back tears, Alfie added that he still misses his wife. ‘Even though we’re close and we’re friends it’s not the same,’ he said.

The emotional chat is shared with his Freeze the Fear co-stars including ex-footballer Patrice Evra and Strictly Come Dancing star Diane Buswell.

The series sees eight celebs tested to the limit in the Italian Alps, guided by Wim – a motivational speaker extreme and athlete noted for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures – along the way.

Across the six-part series, the celebrities will be living together in a tented village surrounded by snow, and be testing themselves – both physically and mentally – with challenges like walking barefoot in the snow and freezing showers.

During the series debut, Wim explained that he was overcome with anxiety after his first wife Marivelle-Maria died by suicide in 1995, but soon learned how to control his emotions.

The adventurer revealed his own wife’s suicide left him paralysed with fear (Pictures: BBC)

‘If you are able, wilfully, to go out of comfort, you get real power – that’s real comfort,’ he began.

‘I needed that when I lost my wife 27 years ago. At two o’clock in the morning, she kissed her kids goodbye before she jumped from eight stories down. What kind of mental state is that?

More: Mental health

‘This was a beautiful woman and suddenly this darkness came in, and guys, I was left devastated, heartbroken. I always did jumps everywhere, the crazy most extreme. I’d climb without gear.

‘My life was completely paralysed. I was in fear inside me.’

Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof airs Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One.

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