Richard Osman opens Desert Island Disc for food addiction.

Richard Osman, television personality and author, talks about how hard it is to get out of an eating disorder. The 51-year-old told Radio 4 Desert Island Discs that he was undergoing therapy in his 30s to treat his nutritional problems.

On Thursday, the implausible star's best-selling debut, The Murder Club, named him Writer of the Year at the 2021 British Book Awards. He says food addiction doesn't have drugs or alcohol's "damn glow."

"But when an alcoholic came to my house, he would be surprised to see the bottles of gin and wine completely untouched," Osman told presenter Lauren Laverne. "Because an alcoholic shouldn't have it in his house. "And if I came to your house also the chips or candy were still intact in the fridge, I would say, 'What? How can they not be touched? "- when I go through an episode."

Addiction is "identical" to what people experience with alcohol and drug addiction. "The secret to consuming these things, the shame behind them," he said.

"And eating is hard because you can do it without alcohol and drugs. [This is] very difficult, but [with] a zero-tolerance policy.

"But if you're addicted to food, or love, or anything that gets it, you still have to have it, so it's pretty hard to let go."

Talking about his childhood, he said his father left the family home when Richard was nine and was shocked and "quiet" in response. "Look, we all have something that makes us live life, and you know we have to deal with it if it's yours," he continued.

"It's not just the fear of life and the fear of what will happen if you put yourself out there. "It's been a tough journey, and I don't take it for granted, but the more I try, the happier I am."