大象传媒

In this second series of essays Adrian Edmondson finds five ways to consider moments of personal and career highs, lows and the bits in-between.

3. Nuts:
In which Adrian Edmondson reflects on his own mental health and how reading about the ancient philosophers changed his life:

鈥淗e nods, and says he鈥檚 noticed that I am very much a 鈥榞lass half empty鈥� kind of person. He is very much 鈥榞lass half full.鈥� 鈥� He says suicidal thoughts are not normal. This is a shock, and it鈥檚 when I start to get an inkling that I might be nuts.鈥�

Adrian Edmondson studied drama at Manchester University where he met his comedy partner Rik Mayall.. He and Rik were part of the first wave of Alternative Comedy where their glorious pursuit of laughter and anarchic performances changed the comedic landscape for ever. He starred as Vyvyan in The Young Ones, the series that blasted its way onto our screens tearing into our preconceptions of what television comedy could be. It was followed by Bottom which ran for three series on 大象传媒 television, had a spin off film (Guest Hotel Paradiso), and became a live show.

Adrian's career has since has taken him into 'straight' acting as well, at the RSC, 大象传媒 TV鈥檚 War and Peace and EastEnders. He is a writer of books for adults and children; and co-wrote the television series Teenage Kicks. He has had an award winning music career with his band The Bad Shepherds which fused punk and folk. And he is an award winning music video producer.

A list of organisations that can help with feelings of despair is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Philosophy for Life: And other Dangerous Situations is written by Jules Evans.

Written and read by Adrian Edmondson
Produced by Caroline Raphael
Recorded by Shane O鈥橞yrne at The Soundhouse
Edited by Nick Manasseh at The Yard
A Dora Production for 大象传媒 Radio 3