Countdown presenter Rachel Riley has opened up about how appearing on Strictly Come Dancing gave her PTSD and how cognitive behavioural therapy helped her mental health recovery
Christopher Sharp Trendswatch Reporter
19:05, 29 Nov 2025
Rachel Riley spoke about her PTSD earlier this year(Image: Getty Images)
Television personality Rachel Riley suggested that her stint on Strictly Come Dancing triggered PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
The Countdown favourite took part in Strictly back in 2013, partnered with professional dancer Pasha Kovalev, whom she later married.
Speaking to the i earlier this year as the current series of Strictly approaches its climax, Rachel opened up about how the pressures of the beloved reality programme led to her PTSD diagnosis and the way cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) aided her recovery, reports Wales Online.
She said: “The stress of going on Strictly Come Dancing gave me PTSD, and cognitive behavioural therapy has helped me since.
“My brain was storing information in the wrong place, and CBT has helped me focus on resilience rather than the stress of a situation.”
Rachel Riley(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Rachel continued: “Before doing CBT I didn’t realise I was a perfectionist. A psychologist called Michael Carthy taught me that although I thought everything had to be perfect, it actually doesn’t.
“There’ll always be things that go wrong, but you don’t have to focus on them. It’s taught me to brush a lot more off, that it’s good to get out of your comfort zone. If you only focus on the things that goes wrong, you just won’t get up there again.”
PTSD can stem from numerous triggers, with the NHS stating that the condition may produce various symptoms including re-experiencing the event, avoidance and social numbing, poor sleep, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
Cognitive behavioural therapy represents one type of talking therapy that individuals use to help them manage their own mental health difficulties.
Rachel Riley(Image: Channel 4)
It can prove effective and, in certain instances, a transformative experience. In recent years, researchers have started to comprehend more about CBT’s impact on the body’s physical wellbeing, including its effects on the heart and how cardiac health is influenced by our psychological state.
One such illustration is Takotsubo syndrome, a condition commonly known as ‘broken heart syndrome’, which causes the heart muscle to alter shape and become weakened.
According to the British Heart Foundation, this is typically triggered by “severe emotional or physical stress”.
Earlier this year, the charity reported that a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress had indicated that cognitive behavioural therapy could ease symptoms.
In a statement, the BHF said: “The first ever randomised controlled trial of long-term treatments for Takotsubo syndrome…found that 12 weeks of tailored cognitive behavioural therapy, or a heart recovery exercise programme, resulted in signs of a physical improvement in patients’ condition, when compared to usual care.”
Whilst this research highlights the influence of therapy on the body’s physical condition, it’s crucial to acknowledge that additional studies are needed to further explore the connection and reach definitive conclusions.
Clinical lecturer Dr David Gamble echoed these findings, stating: “These results further highlight the importance of ‘the brain-heart axis’. It shows that cognitive behavioural therapy or exercise could help patients along the road to recovery.
“Both are very cost-effective interventions, and we hope that further studies could lead to them being used to help this underserved group across the country.”
Rachel Riley is set to make a comeback on UK television when she features on Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel tonight (Saturday, November 29) at 8.05pm on BBC One.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
