EastEnders actor judges show for those in recovery

An EastEnders actor who has had his own recovery issues has returned to a town for a talent show for people who have had addiction and poor mental health problems.

Howard Saddler, who plays pastor Gideon Clayton in the BBC soap, was a judge for Recovery's Got Talent in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

"I got involved directly because I am in recovery myself, and I came to Bury St Edmunds in order to go to treatment and then I got involved about seven or eight years ago," he said.

"I did it for one year and then I moved away, and then this year I've been really honoured to be asked to be a judge and I jumped at the chance."

The event is organised by a coalition of support organisations, including Turning Point, Anglia Care Trust and Artheads.

Jody Lee, aka The Skinny Poet, is a former contestant who comperes the show, which he said was for people who "so often don't have a voice".

"It's really about giving people who had been through any sort of difficult circumstances - the addicts and survivors of abuse, survivors of physical or mental wellbeing issues - [a chance to] express themselves creatively," he said.

"It's really important for them to feel connected, to be able to talk about some of the issues that I've had.

"When you think about the word 'recovery', it is about recovering ourselves... the understanding of it is broadening."

This was the seventh Recovery's Got Talent, and was held at King Edward IV School on Saturday.

There were seven performances, plus last year's winner Lauren opening the show, poems from Jody Lee and a closing number by Al "Soulman" Sharp.

The four judges (Jon Wright from BBC Suffolk, Saddler, Bury St Edmunds mayor Diane Hind and Lauren) gave positive comments after each performance, but an anonymous vote from the audience selected the winner.

Singer Jasmine Rose, who is autistic, was this year's winner and she spoke about her own mental health challenges following bullying at school.

She sang All the Man That I Need by Whitney Houston, and then A New Life from the Jekyll and Hyde musical, which she said "resonates with me personally a lot".

"This is absolutely mind blowing, I'm so happy," she said.

"It's about wanting to get better and creating a new life for yourself and keep looking forward."

Saddler added: "I think it's one of those things like mental health. People are more aware of it, and in the workplace we are supposed to recognise it.

"But if you mention [being in recovery] people still can shy away - unfortunately that is the reality.

"Time is the greatest healer and I think society needs a bit of time to adjust to understanding, and it is happening.

"It's happening slowly and events like this, do nothing but help."

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