Joey Essex has spoken out on his mother's suicide during a candid and heartbreaking moment on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star has been smashing the endurance TV show alongside fellow celebs including Jack Maynard, Tony Bellow, Katie Price and Helen Skelton.
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Explaining to Ant Middleton where he gets his motivation to succeed from, 29-year-old Joey discussed how his mum's death had shaped his personalty.
"I believe I am tough inside. Growing up wasn't easy," he said in the heartfelt interview.
"I had to deal with a lot of s**t. My mum committed suicide when I was ten which was difficult," he said.
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"It hardened me up a little bit. I can't explain it. It's made me tougher inside.
Joey went on to explain that he had even struggled to use the word "mum" until four years ago.
"I know my mum loved me. But it has given me trust issues. One day she was there one day she was gone," he added.
As Joey made the candid revelation, viewers took to social media to praise him for showing a new, vulnerable side of himself to the world.
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"Actually crying at Joey Essex talking about his mum committing suicide when he was only 10. This show has really brought out a side no one really sees of him," one wrote.
While another wrote: "Anyone who didn't Have a lump in their throat when joey Essex spoke about his mum committing suicide when he was 10 yo has no feelings at all. I, personally, had a lump in throat.
"We've all lost people we have loved but what he went through as a kid was horrible..."
A third commended the star, writing: "For Joey Essex to lose him mum at 10 to suicide and to never really understand why she did it must be agonising.The fact he can now talk about it openly takes courage and he's facing into it whole heartedly.#SASWhoDaresWins".
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Joey's mother, Tina, had an infection called candida before she passed away, which can cause stomach problems, fatigue and joint pain, as well as depression.
His elder sister Frankie, 32, has since spoken out about how their mother didn't seek help for her depression, suggesting that this was what eventually led to her death.
Speaking to the Mirror back in 2013, she said: "Mum hid it. It's the silent ones, the ones who don't speak, that you need to be worried about.
"She had to be strong for us and strong for my dad. She had everything she ever wanted but she didn't know where to go in the end. If I wasn't so young maybe I could have helped her.
"I wish there was more support for my mum. She hit rock bottom."
After her death, Joey has previously admitted he didn't want to know the details for many years and even convinced himself that his mum was just staying in a hotel and would eventually return.
The reality star has rarely spoken out about his mother's death before the SAS interview, but in his autobiography, he said he believes he "froze in time" after being dealt the heartbreaking news.
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Featured Image Credit: Channel 4Topics: TOWIE, Celebrity News, TV News, TV Entertainment
