A documentary about comedian Tony Slattery will be part of a series of BBC programmes airing as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Tony Slattery became a comedy star in the 1990s, regularly appearing on both stage and screen. A regular guest on shows such as Channel 4’s Whose Line Is It Anyway, he was a gifted, creative and clever actor.

But by the turn of the millennium, he’d had a breakdown and completely vanished from public life. Bipolar disorder was discussed but, at the time, Tony was struggling with cocaine and alcohol addiction and it wasn’t possible to make a clear diagnosis. This film follows Tony and his partner of 35 years, Mark Hutchinson, as they visit the UK’s leading experts on mood disorders and addiction in the hope of getting some clarity on the problems that have dogged his life.

As well as following Tony in his search for a clearer diagnosis, the programme will also explore new developments in the science of understanding and treating complex mood disorders, which Tony, and others in similar situations, will potentially be able to benefit from. These include using new technology as a diagnostic tool and the latest thinking about the relative impact of genetics versus environment in the development of mental health issues.

Transmission date to be confirmed. To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from  from 18-24 May, the BBC is curating a range of programming across TV, Radio and Digital that will transmit throughout the month of May.

Other highlights of the season includes Tackling Mental Health with The Duke of Cambridge. BBC One, Two and Three will be re-showing some of its most impactful recent films, including Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum And Dad, Alastair Campbell: Depression And Me and Killed By My Debt.

Picture: BBC/Sundog Pictures/Noelle Vaughn