Uncommon Interrupts ITV’s Daytime Schedule to Help Mental Health Helplines
The work of our mental health helplines has never mattered more. Levels of loneliness and anxiety have soared, with the numbers of people experiencing depression doubling during lockdown. Talking can ease stress and improve anxiety but not all of us have someone close to talk to in those times of need. Calls to mental health helplines have sharply increased — charities are taking more calls, and the calls lasting longer. But no call for help should go unanswered.
This week, ITV’s landmark mental wellness campaign ‘Britain Get Talking’ launches an emergency appeal ‘Help Our Helplines’ created by Uncommon. The money raised will support the helplines of leading mental health charities; Mind, YoungMinds, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). This marks the first time ‘Britain Get Talking’ has moved into fundraising since its debut in October 2019.
To kickstart the appeal, the sound of an unanswered call is heard across the channel, interrupting some of ITV’s most popular daytime shows including This Morning, Loose Women and Lorraine. The usual discussion across these studios falls silent as a phonecall rings out, before the presenters make an appeal to camera: please, help our helplines.
Carolyn McCall, chief executive of ITV, said: “ITV is very proud of Britain Get Talking, our campaign to encourage us all to look after our mental health. In this national emergency, when the nation is under such pressure, talking and connecting with others is vital. Sadly not everyone has someone to talk to or somewhere to turn for help. Our mental health helplines have never been more important, so we’re raising money to help make sure no call goes unanswered.”
The Britain Get Talking appeal will play out across the channel in special programming spots as well as on social throughout the week, culminating in an epic moment in the final of Britain’s Got Talent on World Mental Health Day on 10th October.
