L’EAU DE CHRIS? NO, LUDICROUS.

- Star's ludicrous ruse was designed to encourage UK men to open up -

- #DontBottleItUp launches as it’s revealed 84% of men say they bottle up emotions -

- And yet 52% of people feel comfortable when a man opens up -

- Show support by sharing the #DontBottleItUp film shot by RANKIN –

London, Tuesday 10th October 2017: Just 24 hours after revealing he was about to launch a new bottled mineral water infused with his own tears, Love Island star Chris Hughes has revealed that ‘L’Eau de Chris’ was, in fact, Ludicrous.

At an event hosted this morning to mark World Mental Health Day, Chris admitted that L’Eau de Chris and his shoot with world-renowned photographer, RANKIN, was designed to symbolise the fact 84% of UK men say they bottle up their emotions (YOUGOV), and to raise awareness for CALM, the male suicide prevention charity for which Chris is now an Ambassador.

To mark his new ambassadorship, Chris is today joining forces with CALM and TOPMAN to launch the #DontBottleItUp campaign to show it’s ok for men to open up rather than bottle it up.

Speaking at the event in TOPMAN's central London HQ, Chris said: “Yesterday everyone was shocked that I had literally bottled my emotions in a water bottle infused with my tears. And as the L’Eau de Chris name suggested, doing that would have been ludicrous; yet this is what men across the UK are doing every single day.

"What's really ludicrous is that suicide is still the single biggest killer of young men in the UK. We live in a culture that encourages men to ‘man up’ and bottle things up. That’s why I’ve become an Ambassador for CALM and why together with TOPMAN we want to show men across the UK that it’s okay to open up instead of bottling it up. I’ve got personal experience of the benefits of opening up and expressing emotion, which is why I want to work with this incredible charity in its mission to making life less miserable for thousands of other men who are suffering inside their own heads. Our message to all guys is: however, you open up, just #DontBottleItUp.”

The #DontBottleItUp campaign aims to highlight how men across the UK often bottle up their emotions at the expense of their mental health. It comes as new research by CALM shows that 84% of men in the UK say they bottle up their emotions with nearly half saying they suppress their emotions often or at least once day. This even more stark for younger men, with almost two in three (63%) 18-24 year olds saying they regularly hide their true feelings.

The most common reasons men cited for not opening up about their emotions were not wanting to worry anyone (43%) and preferring to sort it out themselves (49%). Men were also found to be much less likely than women to open up face-to-face (63% v. 72%), over the phone (16% v. 27%) or by text (17% v. 27%) about their feelings.

The research also shows many men are feeling the pressure to ‘man up’ and bottle up their emotions, despite the fact the majority of people (52%) feel comfortable when a man opens up to them about his emotions, and half of us say we’re glad that a man has opened up to us. This shows just how ludicrous it is for men to bottle it up.

Together, Chris, CALM and TOPMAN are calling on the UK to show its support for the #DontBottleItUp campaign by sharing the #DontBottleItUp film shot by RANKIN on World Mental Health Day. The limited edition promotional run of L'Eau de Chris water bottles created for Chris's campaign launch will now be auctioned at thecalmzone.net/dontbottleitup, with all proceeds going to support the charity. Additionally, TOPMAN has committed to donate £2 from every pack of TOPMAN boxers sold from 10^th – 31^st October to CALM, in support of the #DontBottleItUp campaign. To find out more, visit www.thecalmzone.net.

James Scroggs, Chair of CALM, said: “Both on and off screen, Chris has been widely praised for opening up about his emotions. As an Ambassador for CALM and the face of the #DontBottleItUp campaign, Chris will use his profile to help us to challenge a culture that prevents men from opening up and seeking help when they need it. With suicide continuing to be the single biggest killer of young men in the UK, it’s vital that we show that it’s okay to open up and ask for help if you need it.”

Jason Griffiths, Marketing Director of TOPMAN, said: “Men’s mental health is a hugely important issue and it's ludicrous that so many British men find it so hard to talk about their feelings. As a brand with a unique connection to the nation's men, TOPMAN is proud to have worked with Chris in support of this initiative, as part of our long-standing partnership with CALM."

ENDS