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Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health: Viewers applaud ‘tough’ and ‘powerful’ documentary

Duke of Cambridge received high praise for his sensitive approach

Ellie Harrison
Thursday 28 May 2020 21:27 BST
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Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health trailer

Viewers have taken to Twitter to praise Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health, a new documentary encouraging men to open up about their emotions.

The BBC One programme features the Duke of Cambridge meeting with various figures from the world of football, including legendary goalie Joe Hart, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard and England centre-back Tyrone Mings, to speak about mental health in the context of the sport.

It sees Prince William visit a grassroots football team in Northampton called Sands United, which is comprised entirely of fathers who have lost a child.

He also meets Marvin Sordell, a player whose career was stymied by bouts of depression. When Sordell talks about growing up without a father, Prince William speaks candidly about the "overwhelming" impact the death of his mother had on him.

The programme was a hit with viewers, with many tweeting praise about the Duke’s caring interview technique, in particular.

“Prince William really is a fantastic ambassador for this country, love the way he connects with people and how passionate he is about the #HeadsUp campaign,” wrote one user.

“Wow Prince William really knows his stuff yano,” added another. “You can tell he's researched and he's really listening to the experts of those who've been through mental health.”

While filming the documentary over the course of a year, Prince William travelled around the country promoting the Heads Up initiative.

The initiative was launched by the Heads Together campaign and the Football Association with the aim of raising awareness about mental health and to encourage football supporters to speak out about any issues they are experiencing.

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If you have been affected by this article, you can contact the following organisations for support: mind.org.uk, nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth, mentalhealth.org.uk, samaritans.org.​

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