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Loose Women's Denise Welch reveals heartbreaking suicidal thoughts at height of depression

The TV star battles with clinical depression

denise welch
Jenni McKnight
US Lifestyle Editor
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Denise Welch has made the heartbreaking confession that she once wished a plane she was travelling in with her then-one-year-old son would crash.

The Loose Women star – who has had an ongoing battle with clinical depression – revealed that she was suddenly overcome by a particularly bad episode the night before she was due to fly to Australia to visit her then-husband, Tim Healy.

MORE: Loose Women's Denise Welch stuns fans with post-alcohol transformation

Despite her "massive depression", Denise boarded the plane with her baby son, Matthew Healy, 32, who now fronts pop-rock band, The 1975.

WATCH: Denise Welch defends herself in highly emotional video

Speaking to Laura Dockrill on the Zombiemum podcast, Denise confessed that she hoped the plane would crash so she would finally be "out of this pain".

"The night before I went, this massive depression came on. I cannot tell you what it was like to go the airport and get on that plane with this depression," the TV star said.

READ: Denise Welch shares honest account of lockdown struggle

MORE: Denise Welch celebrates son Matt Healy's birthday in lockdown

"When I was in the air - I told Matthew this years later when he was a grown-up, I would never have put this on any child - I wished that the plane would go down."

Denise added: "In my mind, I wished that it would because then I wouldn't have made the decision.

denise welch tim healy son© Photo: Getty Images

Denise with ex-husband Tim Healy and eldest son Matthew

"It was the point I wanted something out of my control and I thought, 'Why doesn't it just go down and then I will be out of this pain'. Now I can't believe I had those thoughts."

Denise – who also shares youngest son, Louis, 20, with ex-husband Tim – confessed during the candid conversation that the year Matthew was born was the best and worst of her life.

"1989 when I had Matthew, was the best and the worst year of my life," she admitted.

"The best, because obviously I had Matthew and he is the best thing that ever happened to me, along with Louis, but also because it was the start of my 32-year battle with clinical depression."

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