Alastair Campbell & Andy McCann: 'I was worried someone would attack me at the Chilcot Inquiry. So I called in Andy'

Tony Blair's former spin doctor met the mental-skills performance coach soon after he left Downing Street and they are now firm friends

McCann (right) says: 'I took Alastair at face value, and what I found was someone incredibly focused, with a razor-sharp intellect' (Abbie Trayler-Smith)

Alastair Campbell, 57

Tony Blair's former spin doctor, Campbell (left in picture) now works as a writer, communicator and strategist. He lives in London with his wife and family

I met Andy a few years ago, soon after I left Downing Street. I was put in touch with him through a friend of mine, a professional golfer who was going through a rough patch in form. He told me about this guy, Andy McCann, the Wales national rugby team psychologist, and he said that I had to meet him, that he'd be able to help me in all sorts of ways.

At first, I didn't think very much of it, to be honest, but then I went through this strange patch. It's hard to explain, really. It wasn't quite depression; this was something different, something I hadn't felt before. Not panic attacks, exactly – more sudden surges of emotion, sometimes anger, sometimes fear. I couldn't work out what was going on.

So I met with Andy, and I thought the work he did – with sportspeople, with businessmen and women, entrepreneurs – was fascinating. He told me that people who succeed in the world of sport, and competitive people in general, have to be very selfish in order to win. It's hard to describe what he does, really. He is not a psychiatrist, not an analyst; he is more a mental-skills coach. He talks to you, and learns what is going on inside your head. And I can tell you, he has really helped me.

I remember thinking that his help would be quite handy because the Chilcot Inquiry was looming, and I was giving evidence [in January 2010]. That was a very high-stress situation – just as an FA Cup Final is a high-stress situation, say. Not quite parallel, perhaps, but why wouldn't you prepare yourself in the same way, in order to give yourself the best possible chance of doing well? I wanted to be as mentally prepared for it as I could, and we talked through strategy, whether I was feeling prepared, and ready for the difficult questions.

I told him that one thing that really worried me was that speakers at the Inquiry had their backs to the public gallery. I said that I knew there must be security there, but it still made me nervous. "What's the worst that could happen?" he asked. That somebody could get in and attack me, I said. "What would happen then?" he asked, and I said that presumably the security people would take care of it. "Let's not worry about it then," he said. And strangely, that was all I had to hear; it worked.

We've remained friends ever since. Politically, he is in the same place as me, but we talk about all sorts of things that have nothing to do with work, too: rugby, football, family. Often he will check in with me on a psychological level, and knowing he is there is a comfort. He'll send a text asking how everything is, and I'll tell him I'm fine but that I'm probably taking on a little too much. He simply tells me to have a look at my diary and kick stuff out of it. So I do.

I have recommended Andy to so many people from all walks of life, because I think that what he does is amazing, and very valuable. He has never asked for anything in return; not once has he asked to look through my contacts book. He would never do that.

Andy McCann, 48

Welshman McCann is a mental-skills performance coach who has worked in a variety of fields, helping people in extreme pressure situations. He lives with his partner in Cardiff

I must have met Alastair about five years ago. I was mentioned to him by a friend of his and a client of mine, a sportsman, and Alastair thought there might be a benefit in exploring… well, certain issues he was going through. I'm not breaking any confidentiality by telling you this, as I know he has spoken about it publicly.

This was in the run-up to the Chilcot Inquiry, which I know he was giving a lot of thought to. He came to my office in London for our first formal session, and we must have spoken for two, two-and-a-half hours.

A lot of friends have asked me what I had thought of him previously. I tell them that I work with a lot of people in the public domain, so it's not unusual for me to blank out any preconceptions I may have. And, no, I'd never seen The Thick of It, so I wasn't aware of the Malcolm Tucker character, nor that he might have been based on Alastair.

I simply took Alastair at face value, and what I found was someone incredibly focused, with a razor-sharp intellect. I knew that, working with him, I would have to be on my top form as well, to ensure that the work we did together was a real benefit for him, and not merely a time-filler.

We've remained friends ever since. I'm not really sure why; when I work with people, our relationships are always very honest and comfortable and open, but I don't always go on to become friends with them. I did with Alastair, and it was him, I think, who was the most proactive in moving our relationship from the purely professional into a friendship. We're almost colleagues now; we've done lots of talks together, sharing a stage. He's very good in front of an audience.

We meet up quite a bit. I suppose we have certain similar characteristics; a lot of people who know me will tell you I am very driven, too. We've bonded over sport – and, yes, we talk about politics as well, but I'm going to remain impartial on that subject here.

I think I've read all his books – the novels and his diaries. The diaries are an amazing account of recent political history.

He doesn't shy away from pressure – and I believe the work I have done with him has helped in all sorts of ways. He has certainly suggested as much himself. We all need to train our minds and bodies to cope better with life, and that's what Alastair is doing.

'Winners and How They Succeed' by Alastair Campbell is published by Windmill Books, priced £13.99