Ruby Wax Defends Bipolar Patients Amid Benefits Debate

says Britain 'doesn’t need to toughen up' as she opens up about bipolar disorder

The star, 72, has long spoken candidly about her struggles with bipolar disorder and .

She was diagnosed in 1993, at age 40, while pregnant with her third child.

At the end of last year, the government's work tsar, Alan Milburn, warned of a 'lost generation' being signed off work for 'normal' mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

But Ruby, the original brash, no-nonsense American, insists Britain does not need to toughen up.

She told T he Times: 'No, you can't fake bipolar any more than you can fake .

Ruby Wax says Britain 'doesn’t need to toughen up' as she opens up about bipolar disorder

The I'm A Celebrity star, 72, has long spoken candidly about her struggles with bipolar disorder and depression . She was diagnosed in 1993, at age 40, while pregnant with her third child

'And if the government can't provide enough psychiatrists to properly test for depression and anxiety, whose fault is that? I think this country gets it about right.

'The cruelty of America is not something to aspire to.'

Ruby was the fifth celebrity to be kicked out of the jungle in December, following a vote-off against fellow campmate Lisa Riley.

The Girls On Top star previously sent fans went wild after 'snogging' I'm A Celeb host Declan Donnelly live on air on spin-off episode Unpacked.

Meanwhile, Ruby’s provocative, hilariously abrasive and incomparable style can be seen by fans for themselves at her upcoming show.

She will be joined by her lifelong friend and A-list producer Clive Tulloh, as the pair come together to review clips from the extraordinary shows they worked on, share scandalous stories that have never been heard before, and take the audience along for the ride.

The tour will kick off in Henley-on-Thames on March 25, with the Spring leg drawing to a close in Bristol on July 7.

Ruby said: 'It’s Ruby here - yes, broadcasting live from the jungle, where the Wi-Fi is powered by mosquitoes and my only beauty routine is "don’t get eaten"

'But fear not! The moment I escape; I’m heading straight back on the road and can't wait to see you all there.'

Ruby has been married to her husband Edward Richard Morrison Bye for 33 years (pictured in 2011)

Describing their relationship as 'unconventional', Ruby has previously credited spending lots of time apart with their successful marriage, claiming it is 'healthy' to not always be on top of each other.

Perhaps a slight juxtaposition to herself, the outspoken Chicago-born comic tied the knot with the quietly-spoken, British and public school-educated Ed in 1988.

They met in 1985, when she was filming Girls On Top with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders and went on to welcome three children together Max, 37, Madeleine, 35, and Marina, 32.

Speaking about her marriage when writing in The Sydney Morning Herald back in April, she penned: 'When I met Ed Bye in 1988, I wasn’t expecting to find my happy-ever-after.

'I asked Ed if he wanted to marry me, told him I had an opening in my calendar, and gave him a date. I said many men were after me, but I was lying.'

Ruby has also said one of the secrets to their successful relationships is the time they spend apart, insisting it can be 'healthy for relationships to have your own space'.

Ruby Wax Defends Bipolar Patients Amid Benefits Debate

Describing their relationship as 'unconventional', Ruby has previously credited spending lots of time apart with their successful marriage, claiming it is 'healthy' to not always be on top of each other.

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