Published Nov 8, 2024, 12:35pm
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Alison Hammond comforted a Hollywood legend live on air during Friday’s This Morning after they shared that they drank alcohol at 6am while suffering from anxiety.

The TV host and national treasure, 49, shared the couch with co-presenter Dermot O’Leary, 51, as they interviewed stars from the upcoming TV series Landman.

Starring the likes of Demi Moore and Jon Hamm, the Paramount Plus series is set deep in the heart of Texas and the US state’s famous oil industry.

Among the stars in the cast is none other than Billy Bob Thornton, who appeared alongside Demi, Jon, and Ali Larter on the couch to chat with Alison and Dermot.

During their conversation, Billy Bob was asked by Alison whether he likes to get to bed early and rest up, given how much media and press work he’s required to do.

But the Bad Santa actor, 69, revealed that he’s more suited to ‘the rock and roll lifestyle’ and will find himself still awake at 5am, only rising in the afternoon the following day.

Billy Bob Thornton discussed his anxiety disorder on This Morning (Picture: ITV)
Alison looked concerned when she heard what Billy Bob had to say about his struggles with anxiety (Picture: ITV)
The cast of the show were in the ITV studio to chat to Alison and Dermot (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

‘I’m trying to readjust [in the UK] because I’m more suited for the rock and roll lifestyle. I usually wake up around one in the afternoon. I stay up til 4.30 or five in the morning.

‘Then I sleep all day, go do another show, and do the same thing again.’

When Dermot remarked that Billy Bob was currently experiencing a very early start according to his body clock, it was then that the Fargo star opened up about his sleep and anxiety issues.

‘I got two-and-a-half hours sleep last night. I was in bed and I thought I was paralysed for a while. I was having these circular thoughts and when I’d close my eyes I started having hallucinations,’ he said.

Alison made sure Billy Bob ‘brought it in’ for a hug (Picture: ITV)
Dermot O’Leary decided to ‘bring it in’ as well! (Picture: ITV)
The award-winning actor said he called his wife at 6am on Friday morning (Picture: Getty Images)

He continued on, admitting that being over in the UK and needing to do early-morning media work for ITV had messed up his sleep cycle on Thursday night.

‘It was crazy. I couldn’t get to sleep to save my life. My solution was to go on the patio at the hotel at 6am because I was so nerved up. I have an anxiety disorder – I mean, I really do. It’s bad,’ he said.

‘I was anxious all night. I called my wife and daughter, because they’re in California, and talked to them. I couldn’t get sleepy. I went on the balcony and had a glass of champagne at six o’clock this morning.’

At this point, Alison stood up off the sofa and said, ‘Babes, do you know what we normally do for anxiety? We bring it in, come and have an Ali hug.’

It’s not the first time Billy Bob has discussed his mental health, with the award-winning actor confirming in the past that he’s also been diagnosed with OCD and a range of phobias.

Back in 2001, he said: ‘I so have this fear of silverware. I’m afraid of it. I’m not afraid of cheap silverware – it’s real silver that I’m creeped out by, or maybe silverware that I think people might have used for digging and things.’

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Watch This Morning on ITV, 10am Monday to Friday.

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