Hollyoaks launch special male mental health podcast episode

\'Hollyoaks\' have remotely recorded a special podcast episode about male mental health to run alongside Ashley Taylor Dawson\'s currently storyline.

The 38-year-old actor, whose character Darren Osborne is suffering from depression, joined presenter Lauren Layfield and mental health campaigner Josh Connolly for a special ep of the Channel 4 soap\'s \'Don\'t Filter Feelings\' podcast, entitled \'Mental Health: Listen Up in Lockdown\'.

Speaking about dealing with self-isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic, Ashley said: "It\'s either you are going through a portal or going into a hole, and that\'s how you\'ve got to attack it really.

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"You\'ve got to make it something, make it an experience instead of wallowing in the misery of what it could be."

The trio recorded the podcast by taking part in a video call to obey the government\'s social distancing guidelines.

Ashley has been home schooling his kids, but has discovered they are better at some subjects than him.

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He added: "As a dad you sort of try and be the all-knowing father, but your kids who are nine are better at their times table than you are."

The podcast will launch Hollyoaks\' \'Month of Listening\', a multi-platform campaign to encourage people to become better listeners and not to filter the feelings of those who are brave enough to open-up.

Ashley recently admitted his character\'s depression plot has been an "eye-opener" to him.

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He said: "This storyline has been a real eye-opener for me. Before we started, I had to have an interview with a psychologist, which was really interesting. We\'ve all been through something, haven\'t we?

"At first I was a bit reticent to even go there, but if I can\'t go and speak to someone myself, then I would be completely contradicting the storyline I\'m playing. It\'s important to practice what I preach."

\'Don\'t Filter Feelings Podcast\' will be available Wednesday (01.04.20) at 1pm via https://podfollow.com/dontfilterfeelings/view