Northern Ireland faces a mental health crisis as suicide rates soar, with men hardest hit. Two-time world boxing champ Carl Frampton steps into the ring to tackle the stigma around male mental health in a new hard-hitting BBC documentary.
Carl Frampton Takes on the Mental Health Fight
In Carl Frampton: Men in Crisis, the Belfast-born boxer shines a light on why so many young men in his hometown and across Northern Ireland struggle with mental health problems. Northern Ireland has some of the highest suicide rates in the UK, with areas like north Belfast – where Carl grew up – especially affected.
Real Stories, Real Struggles
Carl meets young men living with everything from anxiety to Bipolar Disorder and rare conditions like PANDAS. They open up about their battles, the support they’ve found, and how they cope daily. Carl even shares his own mental health journey, breaking down taboos along the way.
Experts Weigh In
The film, made by DoubleBand Films, also features insights from top experts, including Dr Michael Duffy from Queen’s University and suicide prevention advocate Dessie Jones. Together, they explore why Northern Ireland’s mental health crisis is worse than elsewhere in the UK.
Carl Frampton said: “I didn’t know what to expect when we started this film. I thought my profession made me mentally tough, but I wasn’t prepared for what came. What I once saw as weakness, I now see as strength. These men have shown me that anyone can struggle with mental health. We can’t control everything, but we can control who we talk to. That makes all the difference.”
Watch and Learn
Carl Frampton: Men in Crisis airs on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10:30pm on Monday 8 May and is available on BBC iPlayer.
The film is part of BBC’s Mental Health Awareness Week lineup. For more top mental health resources from the BBC, visit BBC Headroom.
