The fear factor

WHEN Niall Breslin, better known as Bressie, appeared on the judging panel of RTE’s The Voice last year, he became a star.

A former member of music band, the Blizzards, Bressie had played GAA for West Meath, and rugby for Leinster. His height (6ft 6”), rugged good looks and his gentle expertise appealed to viewers.

But Bressie’s life was not as it seemed. “I had general anxiety disorder,” he says. “I’d had breathing problems, and thought it was asthma. I’d started to faint and occasionally collapse. That’s what sent me to my GP for a diagnosis. One night, when Kathryn Thomas had asked us about a performance, I felt this vice-like grip and had to struggle for air. I waited for the ad break, rushed into my dressing room, and finally got my breath back. That was my first full-blown panic attack.”