Richard Ashcroft is full of admiration for actor Stephen Fry because he has spoken so openly about his battle with mental illness over the last few years.
Fry suffered a nervous breakdown in 1995 and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He has been candid about his problems and even documented his battle in 2006 documentary Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive.
Former The Verve frontman Ashcroft has long suffered from depression and although he is convinced he will never be able to shake it off, he has praised Fry for bringing the subject of mental health out into the open.
He says, "I really admire Stephen Fry and love what he's done over the past few years in bringing mental illness into the open and tackling the stigma surrounding it..."
And Ashcroft credits his family, as well as moving to the countryside, with helping him battle his own demons.
He adds, "It (depression) will be with me for a lifetime. It's not something a magic wand can make disappear. But I've been lucky with music, my wife and my family. I've got really good support...
"I don't take medication now but I have in the past - but I'm better with natural endorphins. I used to joke with friends how the house I bought in the countryside saved me. But it did. Basic things like nature, the stream and a good walk helped me find my peace."
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