ITV and STV’s Britain Get Talking launches ‘Help Our Helplines’ 

ITV and STV’s Britain Get Talking launches ‘Help Our Helplines’ 

Bumper fundraising week for World Mental Health Day

• Week of dedicated mental health content will culminate in Britain Get Talking Final 
• Bespoke content across ITV daytime shows and ITV news
• ITV collaborates with Mind, Young Minds, CALM and SAMH to tackle mental health emergency 

ITV and STV’s landmark mental wellness campaign Britain Get Talking is moving into fundraising, with a week-long campaign in the lead up to World Mental Health Day.

With anxiety and depression soaring, and the numbers experiencing depression doubling during lockdown, calls to mental health helplines have sharply increased - charities are taking more calls, and the calls lasting longer. 

Britain is now on the brink of what charity Mind has described as a ‘mental health emergency’. ITV and STV’s brand new campaign will pledge to ‘Help Our Helplines’ to help make sure no call goes unanswered. Throughout the week, the ring of an unanswered call will interrupt some of the channel’s most popular shows. The ringing will travel across the entire channel urging viewers to answer the call for help by donating to this important issue. 

In support of leading mental health charities Mind, YoungMinds and CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), the Britain Get Talking appeal will play out in special programming spots throughout the week, culminating in an epic and evocative moment in the final of Britain’s Got Talent on World Mental Health Day on 10th October. 

The fundraising week will feature bespoke content across ITV’s daytime programming, ITV News and Regional News coverage as well as a new campaign created in collaboration with Uncommon Creative Studio. Voiced by Lorraine Kelly and Iain Stirling, with other names to follow, the campaign encourages viewers to think about the life-changing impact a single call could have. 

Britain Get Talking originally launched in October 2019 by pausing the live show of Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions to encourage audiences to connect with each other. In 2020,  Britain Get Talking has focused on encouraging us to stay connected during lockdown, with 6.4 million people starting a conversation as a result of the campaign, making 15 million calls and sending 27 million text messages. The initiative has also given rise to a new podcast, with frank interviews about mental wellness with talent including Lorraine Kelly, Tom Bradby and Jason Watkins.      

Content from across the week includes:

Good Morning Britain today (Monday 5th October 2020) revealed an exclusive poll exploring exactly how the nation is coping mentally since lockdown. In addition, Alistair Campbell and partner, plus businesswoman Jo Malone will discuss their individual journeys with mental health in both their professional and private lives as part of ITV’s Britain Get Talking campaign.

On Lorraine will feature Dr. Alex George, who tragically lost his younger brother to suicide over the summer. He is now on a mission to help other young people with their mental health and the show will be following him as he does this.

This Morning welcomes back Simon Gunnings, CEO of CALM who will discuss the next iteration of Project 84 - the show’s award winning campaign, which shines a light on male suicide. Viewers will also be invited to get in touch with their agony aunt Deidre Sanders and psychologist Emma Kenny throughout the week.

On Loose Women TOWIE’s James Argent and the nation’s PE teacher, Joe Wicks will be supporting the show’s Stand By Your Man campaign which focuses on male mental health. Plus journalist Bryony Gordon and Adele’s best friend, Laura Dockrill will bravely share with the panellists and the viewers at home their experiences of mental health issues. 

A week of content will culminate in an arresting moment in Britain’s Got Talent during the hotly anticipated final. 

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.”

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind, said: “We are delighted to be one of the charity’s benefitting from ITV’s campaign and to have the opportunity to raise funds and reach millions of people with a message that it’s ok to ask for help if you need it.

“We are in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic and we’re now experiencing a mental health emergency. At a time when Mind research shows more than one in five adults (22 per cent) with no previous experience of poor mental health now say that their mental health is poor or very poor, it is now more important than ever to seek help if you are struggling.”

Emma Thomas, Chief Executive of YoungMinds, said: “We have been proud to partner with ITV on their Britain Get Talking campaign over the past year. Raising awareness of young people’s mental health and urging those to reach out for support when they are struggling is such a vital message. This year has been so hard for so many, and we have heard first hand from parents who are desperately worried about the long-term impact of the pandemic on young people’s mental health. Being part of this campaign will ensure that we can continue to support parents through our Helpline, so that they have the tools to help children and young people navigate their mental health.”

Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) said: “We’re hugely grateful to ITV for their continued support in raising awareness around mental health issues. Right now, CALM’s helpline services are needed more than ever. Since lockdown the CALM helpline has answered over 73,000 calls and prevented 259 suicides, with conversations about topics such as isolation, anxiety, relationship concerns, health worries, financial stress and suicidal thoughts.

These are testing times for everyone, which is why it’s important to let people know that they are not alone, and that helplines like CALM are here to help when times are tough. The Britain Gets Talking campaign not only provides a national platform to raise awareness, but also share stories of hope, and crucially, raise vital funds that will contribute towards the operation of our life-saving services which are open every single day from 5pm-midnight.”

Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH, said: “It’s never been more important to do everything we can for mental health, and at SAMH we’ve been working as hard as possible to support our communities through this unprecedented year. We want to answer every call for help that we receive, and this year has seen a real increase in the need for our services, so the Britain Get Talking appeal couldn’t come at a better time. We will use every penny raised to help Scotland’s mental health. We’re grateful to ITV and STV for recognising this urgent need, and we’d like to thank everyone who donates to this vital appeal”.

How to donate

Just £10 could fund a potentially life-saving call. 

To give £10 text TEN to 70870

To give £5 text FIVE to 70875

Texts cost £10/5 + 1 std rate msg. 16+. Please ask the bill payer’s permission. Text donations close on Thursday 31 December at 11am. All donations will be split between registered charities CALM, Mind and YoungMinds (30% each) and SAMH (10%). T&Cs and Privacy Notice at itv.com or stv.tv