Will Young

Well-known British singer, Will Young shot to fame when he won Pop Idol in 2002. From there on he went on to release seven studio albums and four UK number one singles.  Since then, Will has been at the forefront of public attention which has often led to him experiencing homophobic abuse and battling crippling anxiety. Nonetheless, Will has overcome his demons to act as a mental health and LGBT+ advocate as a popular speaker for a range of events. Having also experienced PTSD and unfortunately lost his brother to suicide, Will is able to cover his own personal circumstances as a supportive speaker.

Following his Pop Idol victory, Will became one of the country’s most popular artists releasing a whole host of hit singles and albums. In fact, between 2002 and 2019 Will released four UK number one albums with the other three charting no lower than second. Singles such as Leave Right Now and Light My Fire remain well-loved tracks today and he has also embarked on a whole host of nationwide tours. In recent years he’s also shown that he is a lot more than just a pop star, having trod the boards at some of the UK’s biggest venues, appearing in stage shows such as The Vortex and Cabaret. Such shows have seen him nominated for a prestigious Laurence Oliver Award and he has also been named as ‘London Newcomer of the Year’. Will has also become a star of the screen, appearing in dramas such as Bedlam, Skins and The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side.

For many years, Will has spoken openly about his struggles with mental health and has often faced homophobic abuse after coming out as Gay early in his musical career. A passionate and eloquent activist for the LGBT+ community, Will has also become a popular choice as a speaker for mental health-themed events. Will himself has been a victim of poor mental health, having been diagnosed with anxiety and battling PTSD. Developing PTSD due to hiding his sexuality, bullying and being separated from his twin brother at birth, Will knows first hand the emotions of isolation, guilt and horrific flashbacks. Striving to manage his mental health, Will is sought as a speaker to share his experiences of mental illness and his brothers battle with addiction and suicide.