TV star selling mineral water bottled ‘with tears’

A UK TV star has been making headlines by teaming up with clothing brand Topman to release a range of bottled water infused with his own tears. 

Chris Hughes, who came third on TV show Love Island in July this year, left the internet flabbergasted when he shared a video on Twitter, writing: “I'm launching my first ever product in partnership with @Topman #LEauDeChris”.

Even Chris’ biggest fans responded with shock at what seemed to be a money-making endorsement, but all wasn’t as it seemed…

In fact, the promo was part of a clever campaign for a great reason. Chris and Topman created the teary water was to launch CALM’s #Don’tBottleItUp campaign to urge men not to keep their emotions locked up inside.

He said in a statement: “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.”

Following the launch of the campaign Chris appeared at an event for World Mental Health day, where he broke down in tears while talking about his own experience with anxiety. He said: “I suffered silently initially and that was the issue, there's the phrase 'suffering silently' and that's where things were tough for me, when I opened up to my mum things became easier and stuff..."



According to Beyond Blue, one in eight Australian men will experience depression and one in five men will experience anxiety at some stage of their lives.

For help with mental health issues, visit beyondblue.org.au.