Comedian had to stop filming as it affected his mental health

Johnny Vegas had to call a halt to filming on the second series of Carry On Glamping because it was taking too much of a toll on his mental health.

The fly-on-the-wall documentary charts the comic’s attempts to create a new quirky campsite after he had to give up the location featured in the first series. 

And in the Channel 4 programme who was diagnosed with ADHD in December 2022,  Vegas speaks candidly in the show about how the strain of the project got too much for him.

At one point in the show, due to return later this month, the comedian says: ‘Everybody wants something from me and I’ve got nothing left to give. I am running on empty.’

After taking a break from filming, he adds: ‘I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t put the brakes on.’

He said of the strains: ‘I honestly thought I was dying. It was horrible.

‘I felt my body was shutting down. A lot of things were building up and with the site, there was so much to get done. I was coping, I was drinking, getting through stuff, still living it large and my body and mind weren’t up for that. It was like being snow blind.’

In an interview to promote the show he explained: 'A lot was building up and then I got an ADHD diagnosis. There was a lot being asked of me, too many questions in too short a time for something that wasn't feeling permanent.

'My brain absolutely ground to a halt and I had to step out. Something had to give, and it was me.'

The comic explained that he especially felt the pressure as this was entirely his project, rather than being part of a bigger team.

He said:  'If I’m away filming, acting, everything is done for me, I just have to stand in front of a camera. In some respects, this series is a bit closer to the knuckle of living with ADHD, having all these ideas but then trying to do the pragmatic thing of making them happen. It’s still good fun, though.'

Despite the setback he said he was 'in a really good place' now, adding: I’ve rediscovered art, I’ve got a studio, I’m making things and I’m really happy.

'It’s like a bit of a rebirth and art has come along at just the right point in my life. With the site, when it gets overwhelming, if I just go and make something, it brings everything down for me.’

'After a rough time of it, I’m starting to feel very lucky for what I’ve got and for the people I’ve got around me.'

After losing his original Field Of Dreams site near Harrogate, Vegas and his long-suffering assistant Beverley Dixon re-established his business in the grounds of Melbourne Hall in Derbyshire, a venue that has also hosted an outdoor comedy festival.

Johnny Vegas: Carry On Glamping returns to Channel 4 at 9pm on January 24.

Published: 15 Jan 2024