I’m a Celebrity.... Get Me out of Here!: Ex-Cats star Zach Tuohy suffered postnatal depression

Former footy player Zach Tuohy says he used to be in tears on the way to training and says his mindset was “good for football but terrible in the real world”.

Jackie Epstein

@jackieheraldsun

less than 2 min read

January 29, 2025 - 7:00PM

Confidential

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Former footy star Zach Tuohy has shared his surprise after discovering he suffered postnatal depression.

The retired Geelong premiership defender said the revelation came to light after writing his book.

He was 24 when he became a father to son Flynn, and not even his wife Bec was aware he had the condition.

The couple have since welcomed another son Rafferty.

Zach Tuohy with his wife Bec and sons Rafferty (left) and Flynn. Picture: Instagram

“I used to drive to training and then I’d pull in on the way back and just like cry in the car and get it all out and then go in and I’d be really short with her (Bec),” he explained to retired NRL player Sam Thaiday on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

“I feel bad about it, I feel awful about it now. Like, she’s also going through a lot of stuff at that point, it is not like I was the only one in it, in fact she was probably going through more so you carry a lot of guilt.”

He added: “I found writing a book really therapeutic because I hadn’t written this stuff down before.

“I had a bit of a mindset that was really good for football but terrible in the real world.

Tuohy says writing his memoir was ‘really therapeutic’. Picture: Instagram

Which is shut up and get on with it, that was kind of my approach to everything. But that’s great when you’re sore and you need to train but I don’t think it’s super healthy for the real world when you’re struggling like that.”

Tuohy released his memoir called The Irish Experiment at the end of last year.

He said he thought it was only women who could suffer from postnatal and postpartum depression.

“It’s a chick thing I think — turns out it’s not,’’ he said.

“Apparently blokes can get it, who knew, I just thought I had good old fashioned depression.”

“But yeah, I just brute-forced my way through it.”