Josie Gibson backs vital new campaign to commemorate four friends who took their lives during lockdown: ‘This is a cause very close to my heart’

Josie Gibson is supporting a new suicide prevention campaign after four of her friends took their own lives during lockdown.

The 39-year-old presenter fought back tears in March 2022 as she told This Morning about the tragic loss of four of her male friends after they failed to get the support they needed.

And now, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day this week, Josie is supporting a new campaign in tribute to her departed friends, as shocking figures show that suicide is the leading cause of death among 18-24 year olds.

She told The Mirror: “This is something that is very close to my heart. We are going to talk about something that nobody wants to talk about.”

“Everyone is afraid to say the word suicide, but suicide is very common. It is currently the leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds.”

The 39-year-old presenter defended herself in tears in March 2022 [pictured] when she reported on This Morning about the tragic loss of four of her male friends because they did not get the support they needed.

The former Big Brother star has teamed up with charity CALM and the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) to mark World Suicide Prevention Day after it was revealed that 7,000 young people have taken their own lives in the last 10 years.

Josie sat down this week with IFCF Chair Richard Walker, IFCF Group CEO Tarsem Dhaliwal, and CALM CEO Simon Gunning and Head of Service Wendy Robinson to create a new video aimed at tackling youth suicide.

In the important video, the group discussed how they can help educate the public about youth suicide and the alarming rise in preventable deaths, and also shared their own concerns and experiences.

Tarsem said of the television star: “Josie has been an incredible asset and has helped spark life-saving conversations.”

CALM and IFCF have also joined forces to create an installation of 6,929 birthday balloons at Westfield White City, commemorating the missed birthdays of the nearly 7,000 young people who have taken their own lives in the last decade.

Two years ago, Josie became emotional as she shared the devastating news about her four friends during a discussion about the difficulty of accessing mental health care.

Joining Josie and her then co-host Phillip Schofield was Dr. Nighat Arif. The GP was on the show to talk about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's mental health.

As the discussion progressed, Josie became visibly upset as she revealed that she herself was suffering from the mental health effects of the pandemic.

And now, in memory of her deceased friends as part of World Suicide Prevention Day this week, Josie is supporting a new campaign as shocking figures show that suicide is the leading cause of death among 18- to 24-year-olds.

“It's a cause that's very close to my heart. We're going to talk about something that nobody wants to talk about. Everyone is afraid to say the word suicide, but suicide is a big issue.”

The former Big Brother star has teamed up with charity CALM and the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. The group features in a video designed to help spark discussion about youth suicide.

Josie said: “I personally know four men who have taken their own lives and there was just no support.”

Dr Arif then acknowledged that there was a huge backlog in processing referrals for psychiatric treatment, saying: “The problem is that the demand is so great…”

“Hand on heart, I don’t have a solution for that either.”

The GP also informed viewers at home about what they can do if they are really suffering. Dr Arif said: “There are so many things we can do.”

Two years ago, Josie became emotional as she shared the devastating news about her four friends during a discussion about the struggle to access mental health services

Important: Josie and her then co-host Phillip Schofield were joined by Dr. Nighat Arif. The GP was on the show to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's mental health.

During the discussion, Josie became visibly upset as she revealed that she was personally affected by the mental health impacts of the pandemic.

“So the first thing I say is: talk, talk, talk. Don't be embarrassed, you can cry, you can be sad, go for a walk, do some exercise, look at nature, hug a tree.”

Josie, a mother of one, said she followed Dr. Arif's advice and revealed to viewers what she has been doing to cope with the stress and trauma of the pandemic.

Josie said: “We are all depressed. Every day I take off my shoes and socks and go for a walk outside on the grass because when you reconnect with the earth, reconnect with nature, it makes you feel good.”

If you are having problems, contact CALM on 0800 58 58 58 (UK). For more information about CALM and for support and advice visit thecalmzone.net.