Grant Denyer: Sunrise left me knackered and close to death

Grant Denyer has opened up on the moment doctors told him his organs were functioning at just seven per cent and he was risking killing himself – a result of “chronic fatigue” and exhaustion from his busy job on Sunrise.

The former Family Feud star, 40, has been nominated once again in the upcoming 2018 Logie Awards, just the latest in a string of more than 20 nominations reflecting his hard work and dedication in the TV industry.

But while he’s happier than ever now, his road to success came with a heavy price.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with Starts at 60, the Aussie TV favourite has urged others to speak out about personal battles and mental health issues, after he was left fighting serious health concerns due to his work pressure on the Channel 7 show.

“I was knackered. I had bitten off more than I could chew, and trying to juggle too much. It’s one of those things you do in your life when you’re hungry and aggressively trying to climb the ladder and take your career to the next level,” he explained of his role as one of the presenters on Sunrise at the time.

He said he began his media career with a can-do attitude, volunteering to work and help out whenever possible – but rather than adapting it as he settled into his role, he continued the same “aggressive” and ambitious attitude for more than two decades.

Asked what led to the downward spiral, Grant said: “For me, I was travelling on the road, not eating well, not sleeping enough, and it was relentless. There was no taking the time to switch off and restore.

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“At the weekend I was a racing car driver and driving in supercars, and while I wasn’t doing that I was making a massive live TV show! They’re both energies that deplete your resources.”

Grant previously admitted in 2014 that doctors warned him he would die if he didn’t slow down towards the end of his career on the show, and his organs had begun functioning at just seven percent.

“Yeah, at the time they [my organs] were,” he said of the warning. “It was me not eating healthy, I was never a great eater. It’s chronic fatigue and exhaustion.”

Eventually making the brave decision to leave the show in 2013, he admitted it almost ended his TV career and added: “I’d had a little break from TV for a bit and wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. I was just a little bit lost and I didn’t know what to do.”

However, he credits his next role as host of Family Feud for saving it for him, and has now established a healthier work-life balance, spending more quality time with his wife Cheryl and two daughters. He has also given up his racing career, following two major crashes – but insists he still loves doing it as a hobby a few times a year.

“My family are supportive. I’ve had around 500 races in my life, with a lot of wins, but I’ve only had two accidents,” he insisted.

He wasn’t the only one in the family battling issues, as his wife Cheryl has recently admitted she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the birth of her first child, and shortly after Grant’s first car crash in a monster truck.

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She attempted to hide it at the time, unsure herself what it was, so Grant had no idea initially that she was suffering with motherhood.

“I didn’t notice at first because I had nothing to compare it to,” he admitted. “When you’re brand new parents, particularly for the first time, it turns your life on its head. Everything is unusual and quite hard, and you do lose your sense of self and your own identity.”

He added: “She was very good at portraying a strong outer message, she looked okay, sounded okay, but in hindsight there were little signs that make sense to me now we know more about it.

The saddest sight in Aussie television pic.twitter.com/6TuE18zwmN

— Grant Denyer (@grantdenyer) June 21, 2018

“But if she couldn’t identify it herself, it can be hard for others around to notice it as well. She put on a brave face, and it’s a common reflex for a lot of people. For her, putting her hand up and saying she needed help was a sign of failure. Now she knows that’s definitely not the case.”

Cheryl has gone on to set up her own website for mothers, called ‘Mummy Time’, where she encourages people to speak about their fears and the ‘real’ side of motherhood – keen to ensure no-one else suffers in silence.

“All these books say it will all be rosy, and you’ll breastfeed immaculately and the real world just isn’t like that. No-one prepares you for that because it doesn’t sound as nice!” Grant insisted.

Calling his wife “special”, he went on: “She’s turned what she’s learned around. She’s a remarkable person and incredibly compassionate and thoughtful, she runs our lives incredibly well!”

He now has a powerful message for anyone suffering with mental health issues, and said: “It’s okay to feel like crap, it’s okay to let someone know too. I have a great friend who rings in and checks on me when I start blocking his calls for a little while or he hasn’t spoken.

“He’ll reach out and ask if I’m okay. It’s important to have those friends around you. Pretending that the world is always perfect and you feel amazing can have a negative effect on you, because that’s not real. It’s okay to have your down days and be angry. It’s okay to be upset or sad, providing they’re in healthy amounts. If not, seek some help, put your hand up, nothing wrong with that.”

Grant is up for the Gold Logie this year, alongside Amanda Keller, Andrew Winter, Jessica Marais, Rodger Corser and Tracy Grimshaw. To vote for him, visit the official online voting site here.

Have you suffered from a past high-stress job? Have you suffered with fatigue or a mental health concern? Did it help to speak out?