The Bachelor star Clayton Echard has bravely opened up about suffering from suicidal thoughts after facing an "overwhelming" backlash during his time on the show.
The mental health coach praised his now ex-girlfriend Susie Evans, who he met on The Bachelor, for helping him through the tough time. Clayton said she was the only person who stopped him from "going off the rails".
Clayton and Susie appeared on the 26th season of the dating show and began a relationship in December last year, though their romance wasn't without some bumps along the road. They announced their separation late last month.
Clayton was criticised during his time on The Bachelor after he told all three of the final women that he loved them.
The 29-year-old also slept with both Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia before his final 'Fantasy Suite' date with Susie, 29.
Clayton described the backlash as "overwhelming" but said "it all happens for a reason".
"I had no business being the Bachelor with the person that I was then. The person I [am] now would have handled things 100 times better," he said during a recent appearance on the Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe podcast.
Clayton also said his "weaknesses" came to light on the show, including his need to please people.
The former medical sales representative praised his former partner for her love and support.
Clayton said: "I think I wouldn't have been able to get through what I got through with anybody other than Susie.
"She was the only person that was going to help me see what I saw. And she was the only person that was going to keep me from going off the rails and doing something extremely drastic.
"Because I had very dark thoughts from the show, moments where I said, you know, 'It'd be better off if I just ended things'."
Susie and Clayton announced their separation in September in a joint statement shared on Instagram.
"With incredibly heavy hearts, we wanted to share that we have decided to go our separate ways. For anyone who has ever loved, knows this was a painful decision to make and not one taken lightly," they wrote.
The former couple added that they had experienced "a significant amount of pain" over the past year and wanted to focus on becoming the best version of themselves.
They added: "This is not an easy time for either of us but we stand in support of each other and hope to see the other go on to find happiness and healing."
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
