'My proudest achievement': Leeds Olympic bronze medallist discusses battle with depression and addiction

A Leeds Olympian has bravely opened up on his personal battles with depression and addiction.

Olympic medallist Nile Wilson has opened up in a recent podcast on the stark realities behind sporting success, revealing the emotional toll of life after the Olympic Games and the personal battles that followed his career-defining moments.

Speaking on the Original Penguin x CALM podcast, Under the Surface, the former Team GB gymnast from Leeds reflected candidly on the aftermath of winning Olympic bronze at Rio 2016 - a moment he had spent his entire life working towards.

Wilson described the unexpected comedown from Olympic success as one of the most difficult periods of his life, highlighting the isolation that can follow such intense highs.

“I thought that winning an Olympic medal I would live happily ever after, but now it's done and I'm at home and the same channels are still on the TV… No one actually really cares,” he admitted.

He recalled how, shortly after returning from the Games, he was asked by his mum to do everyday chores like putting the dishwasher on - a moment that brought him crashing back down to earth after years of elite competition.

As he struggled to process the emotional fallout, Wilson turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms in an attempt to escape the pressure and confusion that followed Olympic success.

The gymnast, who made British history with his Olympic medal, also spoke openly about how injury setbacks and declining mental health compounded these challenges, eventually leading him to what he now describes as the lowest point of his life.

However, through support from those around him, growing self-awareness and professional help, Wilson was able to rebuild, a journey he now considers his greatest accomplishment, even above his sporting achievements.

“It was one of the most horrific periods of my life because at that point I felt so alone, that when I got told off by my parents it felt like I'd lost them,” he said, explaining how emotional strain and miscommunication at home added to the sense of isolation he was already feeling.

“I was choosing to drink and gamble to remove pain,” he revealed, reflecting on a period where he says he was trying to numb difficult emotions rather than confront them directly. “My proudest achievement was overcoming depression,” he added.

Now an advocate for mental health awareness, Wilson is sharing his story to help break the stigma surrounding mental health struggles, particularly in elite sport. He has since rebuilt his life beyond gymnastics - amassing a following of more than 1.7 million subscribers on YouTube, where he documents his life after elite sport and connects with a wider audience beyond gymnastics.

Now in its fifth series, the Under the Surface podcast is hosted by Sky Sports’ Adam Smith, and explores resilience, mental health and breaking the stigma around speaking out. It has featured a number of high-profile guests including Sir Bradley Wiggins, Jack Wilshere and Romesh Ranganathan.

The series is produced in partnership between Original Penguin and the mental health charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), reflecting their shared commitment to tackling mental-health stigma and encouraging people to speak up.