Ross King: Brave Denise Welch puts her battle on the screen

MOST of the time when I interview someone it’s about the latest film they’re starring in.

I’m the first to admit it’s all just a bit of fun.

But it was a real privilege to sit down with former Loose Woman and Coronation Street star Denise Welch here in Los Angeles.

I was amazed by her strength and bravery as she opened up about a very personal subject.

Denise has made an autobiographical short film, called Black Eyed Susan, about her struggle with depression.

She told me that her husband, Lincoln, and two sons, Louis and Matthew, rallied around during her illness.

Louis is a budding actor, while Matthew is guitarist with rock band The 1975.

And both were able to lend their talents to her film.

“We didn’t set out for it to be a family affair, but this film is from the heart,” she told me.

“It’s a dramatised version of an episode of my clinical depression, which I didn’t feel I had seen depicted before on television in the way mine had manifested.

“I needed a young teenage actor, and my son is a fabulous young teenage actor – and I knew I’d get him free!

“And I thought, ‘What’s the point of having a songwriting, international rock star son if I don’t ask him to do the incidental music?”

Her sons have always been incredibly supportive.

“Both of them have seen me poorly from time to time,” she added.

“Matt wrote a song on his last album, She Lays Down, which was about his version of what I’d told him about my depression.

“I started to get nervy because I thought some people who like a drink aren’t particularly good at playing drunks.

“I wondered if I’d be able to portray my depression accurately.”

Denise admitted to me that she wept when she watched Black Eyed Susan for the first time.

“I felt a bit sorry for myself, it’s been a long time I’ve had this.

“After I had my first son that was the first time I’d had depression.

“I’d never had a day of it before that.

“I now say to people that, without sounding cruel, I’d like everyone in the world to have clinical depression for 20 seconds and for it to go again.

“Just so those people who don’t understand could understand.”