Sky Sports reporter reveals suicidal ideas and anorexia battle

Sky Sports reporter Abigail Davies has opened up on her battles with suicidal ideas and anorexia after revealing she visited a psychological well being facility earlier than the Darts World Championship.

Davies is a well-known face on the channel and is commonly seen reporting dwell from soccer video games, in addition to darts occasions and interviewed the gamers following Luke Humphries’ victory over Luke Littler at this yr’s ultimate. 

The presenter determined to talk out on her psychological well being following the tip of the newest match at Alexandra Palace, revealing she had visited a psychological well being hospital in December to assist her deal with suicidal ideas and a battle with anorexia. 

In a candid put up on X, Davies stated she was opening up on her personal struggles for anybody else ‘in the identical boat’. 

‘Went to The Priory the day earlier than the [World Championship] began. Final [question] earlier than I left: “Can you promise you will maintain your self alive over Christmas?”

‘So yeah, proud for doing what I wanted to do, to take care of anorexia/suicidal ideas. Posting this for everybody in the identical boat. We’ve received this.’ 

Davies began at Sky Sports in 2017 as a runner earlier than working her means as much as changing into a reporter – taking over work with BBC, ITV and talkSport as a freelancer.

She has been a staunch advocate for psychological well being – having struggled with an consuming dysfunction when she was youthful. 

In 2022, Davies posted an image of herself working for Sky at a Swansea sport, which made her replicate on her difficulties as an adolescent.

’15yo me left a psychiatric unit for a night to look at the Swans,’ she wrote. ’90 minutes the place I used to be consumed by one thing aside from anorexia/melancholy. From that evening, watching the Swans gave me a motive to struggle… Today I’m protecting them for Soccer Saturday. This means a lot to me.’

Last summer time, Davies was moved when former Gillette Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling gave an emotional message about consuming issues.

‘Eating issues are being swept beneath the carpet,’ he stated in his passionate deal with. ‘No one must be dying of an consuming dysfunction in 2023. Those with consuming issues want motion and assist, they usually want it now.’ 

Davies stated Stelling’s message meant the world to victims of consuming issues, saying it will be an enormous assist to people who find themselves ‘at some extent of disaster’.  

‘I can not describe how nice it’s to have somebody like Jeff discuss so eloquently and passionately a couple of subject like that when it feels, to me and plenty of different victims, that no person needs to pay attention, that no person cares or provides it the time of day,’ she stated, chatting with The Mirror.

‘I feel having Jeff opening that dialog, and to see the response it had on social media and so many hundreds of thousands watching it, that meant extra to so many people that he would have even identified on the time,’ says Davies.

‘We are at some extent of disaster in the meanwhile, and I feel that has to override all the things personally. It simply hits residence once you see that persons are being provided finish of life take care of a psychological sickness in 2023. I’d have been a type of individuals.

‘Someone has to lift their head above the parapet and it appears to be Jeff. He’s utilizing his phrases to nice impact, and it was improbable to see that so many individuals from the footballing group wished to assist and get behind this trigger. 

‘I’ve watched that video again about 10 instances, and I’ve cried each time.’