Celebrity Traitors star Celia Imrie has shared details of her treatment for an eating disorder during her early teenage years, describing it as a “horrible time”. The 74-year-old developed anorexia after she was not accepted into the Royal Ballet School.
Imrie was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in Lambeth, where she was treated by psychiatrist William Sargant. Sargant's methods, including the use of electroconvulsive therapy, antipsychotic, and sedative drugs, were detailed in Jon Stock’s book, The Sleep Room: A Very British Medical Scandal.
Recalling her time in the ward, Imrie told Saga magazine that she did not know if she had been in The Sleep Room, but remembered the smell of the room. She also spoke of a nurse at 14 who challenged her by saying she was occupying the bed of a “really sick child”, which she said motivated her to recover.
Imrie also discussed her decision to stop flying after suffering two pulmonary embolisms, which left her unable to work for a period and impacted her mental health. She credits a trip to Nice, France, with helping her recovery, stating, “the paradise of Nice did save my life actually.”