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Bodyguard viewers applaud portrayal of an action hero seeking help for mental health issues

Bodyguard viewers applaud portrayal of an action hero seeking help for mental health issues

Audiences praised the BBC drama for showing David Budd (Richard Madden) going to counselling for PTSD

David Budd in Bodyguard

Published: Tuesday, 25 September 2018 at 8:34 am

And Breathe. From a nerve-shredding suicide vest scene to the reveal of a police mole and a final twist about the murder of Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), the finale of BBC’s Bodyguard left viewers with plenty to think about.

But for many fans, the show’s most poignant moment came at the very end, with Richard Madden's David Budd – the gun-toting, terrorist-chasing hero of the series – finally seeking help for his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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At the close of the final episode, viewers saw Madden’s character preparing to open up to a mental health counsellor about the condition he developed fighting in Afghanistan.

“My name’s David Budd,” he said in the show’s final minutes, face crumpling as he finally admitted the truth: “And I need some help.”

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And viewers congratulated the series for showing an action hero seeking help, a rarity in TV and film drama...

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They also praised the BBC for highlighting male mental health and encouraging people to speak out about it...

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And despite some thinking that the scene highlighted how underfunded mental health services are in the UK...

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....most were just happy the issue was being portrayed on TV...

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