Linda Robson: Loose Women star reveals ‘worst time’ of her life as she opens up about rehab and divorce

Linda Robson has opened up about the toughest times in her life during a recent interview with OK! Magazine. The Loose Women star is now 65, and reflected on the years she spent battling her demons and the collapse of her marriage to her ex-husband Mark Dunford.

Linda started her downward spiral in 2018 after she was prescribed diazepam to help her sleep. This eventually led to a total breakdown, an OCD diagnosis and a stint in rehab. However, just two weeks ago Linda celebrated her four-year return to Loose Women with her children and grandchildren following a long but complete road to recovery. Here’s everything you need to know about her marriage, struggles and success.

Linda’s breakdown

The Bird of a Feather star said that she made one change in 2017 that led to a complete disintegration of life as she knew it. Following a related segment on Loose Women, Linda decided to give up her nightly bottle of wine. Cutting back on alcohol may seem like a healthy move, except there was one problem: Linda subsequently increased her sleeping pills, and her doctor switched her to diazepam. This caused a bad reaction and it triggered OCD.

OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder, and people with the disorder battle with unwanted, intrusive thoughts that lead to feelings of intense distress. As her OCD progressed, Linda got to a point where she was taking five baths a day, frantically changing the bed and emptying the bin, and taking a toothbrush with her everywhere. To cope, Linda turned to alcohol.

Linda spoke about her personal battles

It was during a girls’ trip to Ibiza with her Loose Women pals that Linda’s secret was outed. Her colleagues realised she needed help, and since then Linda has been to rehab and hospital to overcome her struggle with addiction. She explained that her breakdown was a total shock:

If anyone had told me I'd have a nervous breakdown, I'd have gone, 'Me? Are you mad?' I've learned a lot about mental health. I never thought about it before what happened to me. I think a lot about it now. I'm just so relieved to be back to my old self.

Linda was once banned by her daughter from seeing her grandchildren alone. Two weeks ago, the family all joined in the celebrations with Linda’s Loose Women co-stars Jane Moore, Nadia Sawalha and Kelly Holmes. Linda is sober and completely off all meds.

Who is Mark Dunford, Lisa’s ex-husband?

Lisa also spoke very frankly about the breakdown of her 33-year marriage to Mark Dunford. Mark was a window cleaner for much of his life, and now owns a company in the business. They met in Islington as their parents were friends - Lisa actually used to babysit Mark. As adults, they bumped into each other again while Lisa was out with her daughter from a previous relationship. The pair went on to get married in 1990 and have two children together, Louis and Roberta.

Speaking about the split, Linda explained that it wasn’t that dramatic: the pair simply grew apart.

People do, sometimes, don't they? We never had that much in common. I'm very sociable. Mark never enjoyed that side of things.

She says he is an ‘amazing dad’ and though she was ‘sad’ about the divorce, she’s now ‘in a really good place’.

Read more:

⋙ Kaye Adams: The Loose Women panellist reveals she had major health scare

⋙ Lisa Riley: The Emmerdale star opens up about ‘brutality’ of massive weight loss and surgery

⋙ Meg Johnson: Emmerdale star leaves £375k in her will, here's who she gave it to

Sources used:

Express: Linda Robson opens up about heartbreaking split from husband of 33 years

MailOnline: Who is Linda Robson's estranged husband Mark Dunford? A look at the window cleaner company owner as he splits from Loose Women star after 33 years of marriage