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.

"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.

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.

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