Celia Imrie shares how a hidden letter sparked her eating disorder, and why she's speaking out about it after so many years

The following content contains references to eating disorders that some readers might find sensitive.

From recent high profile roles in The Diplomat and The Thursday Murder Club, to the plethora of stage and screen roles that came before, Celia Imrie has long been an acting force to be reckoned with.

Even at the age of 73, the actress isn't afraid to hustle for the acting roles she covets the most, determined to continue searching for acting jobs and life experiences that challenge her.

However, the star suffered from anorexia during her teenage years, which is something she has rarely spoken about until recently.

During an appearance on David Tennant's David Does A Podcast With... series, Celia shared difficult details of the illness that began when she was aged 11 - including what sparked it and the challenging way her family, in particular her father, responded to her diagnosis.

It all began with a hidden letter. As a child, Celia had been a hopeful about pursuing a career in ballet and being "absolutely passionate" about the craft, auditioned for the Royal Ballet School.

The rejection letter from the prestigious dance school said that although Celia was advanced in ballet for her age, she was "going to be too big" to train for it as a career.

"My darling mother got the letter, and hid it," Celia shares with host, David Tennant. Asking why she hadn't heard about the result of her audition for the ballet school, she was told the answer had been "no," but she was curious to find out a reason.

"But I found the letter saying I was going to be too big," Celia continues. She recalls that at the time, she thought while reading the letter, "well, if that's the only reason, I'm going to get small."

And she stopped eating. Celia's illness became so bad, she required hospitalisation at the age of 14. She was admitted to a clinic run by the controversial psychiatrist William Sargant, who claimed to be a pioneer in treating women suffering mental health disorders such as postnatal depression, chronic anxiety and anorexia.

Sargant's patients were placed in his "sleep room," and subjected to sedation, and often, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or lobotomies. Celia escaped ECT or surgery, and recalls Sargant as "tall with an evil presence."

The clinic closed in 1973 and Sargant destroyed most of the case records from his unit, leaving few records of the horrors he subjected women in his care to. He was never investigated.

During her podcast appearance with David Tennant, Celia was asked why her mother hadn't disposed of the letter, and she says she never found out why, musing, "maybe she didn't realise it would have such an effect, I don't know."

"For a long time I didn't talk about it," she shares of her eating disorder experience, adding, "but now, if I can be of any help, then I'm willing to say whatever I can." She explains that while she wants to help anyone suffering like she did, but she especially wants to help the parents of those with eating disorders.

This, she recalls, is due to the "worry and anxiety I gave my mother" when she was so unwell. She also remembers that her father, a doctor, responded with "embarrassment" to her illness.

At the time, it was so poorly understood and anorexia was "barely given a name." Her father simply couldn't comprehend why his child wouldn't eat. "It was a mystery to him, and an embarrassment for a doctor's daughter," Celia recalls.

Urging anyone affected to get help for themselves, Celia says, "there are people that can help, charities such as BEAT. It's very important that people can share that anxiety."

"Go to these marvellous charities, get help, talk, always seek help to try and get yourself better," she concludes.

If you're concerned about an eating disorder, information is available on the BEAT website. BEAT are the UK’s eating disorder charity, and their mission is to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders.