Seann Walsh had panic attack in street after news of his Strictly affair leaked

Comedian Seann Walsh has opened up about how his mental health was impacted following news of his Strictly Come Dancing affair getting out.

The Virtually Famous comedian and actor - who was rumoured to be appearing on this year's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - took part in the BBC dance competition in 2018, partnered with professional dancer Katya Jones.

Alas, the pair became embroiled in scandal, falling victim to the so-called Strictly 'curse' which has seen many professional dancers and celebs split with their real-life romantic partners as a result of the show.

Walsh has since spoken out about how the scandal affected his mental wellbeing.

In a 'Full Comedy Special' released onto his YouTube channel, titled, Seann Walsh: Kiss, the comedian walks followers through his movements and mental state in the days after the news broke from three years down the line.

"On the 6 October, 2018, pictures were released of Seann, who was in a relationship, kissing his married dance partner.

"The following special was recorded on 30 November, 2021," the caption reads.

WENN Rights Ltd/ Alamy Stock Photo

Five days after the photographs made the front pages, Walsh explained how he watched himself become turned into a punchline on comedy quiz show Have I Got News For You - the show joking he wouldn't get any work for a while following the news of the affair.

Walsh left his hotel room to get some air, but ended up 'really paranoid someone was going to see [him] and tell the press'.

"I just remember a blonde woman walking past me here and she clocked me. I felt like, that, she definitely knew who I was.

"And that suddenly freaked me out. And I thought I've got to go back, I'm about to have a big panic attack," he recalled.

Walsh then describes how Notting Hill started 'spinning' and he couldn't stand up properly, before falling to the ground.

"I'm now lying here screaming and I look up. A double decker bus goes past and the whole of the top deck does this [...] the most f**king London thing. [...] They just looked at me," he says.

Walsh was asked by a passerby if he was 'drunk' or having a 'panic attack', before another recognised him and took him back to his hotel in their car.

If that wasn't bad enough, under 24 hours later, Walsh had to perform the Charleston live on BBC One in front of 'about five million people'.

Walsh resolved: "Not ideal."

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone

Topics: Strictly Come Dancing, TV and Film, Mental Health, Health, YouTube, Social Media, Viral, BBC, Sex and Relationships

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.