Reality TV star Scott Thomas has opened up about having obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), saying it was so “debilitating” he had to seek treatment at a rehabilitation centre.
The former Love Island star, who has been outspoken about his struggles with alcoholism and gambling, added that he thinks his condition was worsened by “drinking and partying”, and due to him having ADHD.
Speaking to his brothers Adam and Ryan on their At Home With The Thomas Bros’ podcast, the 37-year-old TV personality admitted he has not previously revealed his diagnosis publicly due to fear of being judged.
Thomas said: “My OCD was debilitating – to the point where if I didn’t tap something a certain amount of times, I thought someone was going to die.
“Then I’d be speaking to myself going ‘everything’s OK, everything’s OK, everything’s OK, everything’s OK’.
“I’ve not talked about this because I didn’t want anybody on my socials to think, ‘f****** hell are there any problems this kid’s not had? Gambling, drink, everything’.
“Then the more I’ve looked into it, I think it must be something to be something to do with being neurodivergent, ADHD.”
OCD is a mental health condition where a person has frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease, according to the NHS.
Thomas, best known for starring in the 2016 series of ITV reality show Love Island, explained how he sought treatment at a rehabilitation centre for cognitive behavioural therapy to “get rid of” his OCD.
The Manchester-born star said: “It was that bad that I couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night. Even to this day, I still have OCD but I manage it.
“I check the room three times before I go to bed, and I check under my pillow. Just little things and I’ve gone, ‘oh my God, it must be so exhausting that I’m still managing it’.
“But for some reason it has become so part of my life, and I control it.”
Thomas added that he is now “finding healthy ways” to manage his OCD and that his condition “doesn’t worry me” as he believes he has the “tools now to work through it”.
Reflecting on why he chose to open up, he added: “The reason why I wanted to say this guys is like I was so far from this Scott many years ago – drink, drugs, gambling, severe OCD, all these things. And I’m now this person I am now.”
The reality TV star, who has been sober for almost four years, has been candid on social media about his struggles with addiction and told the podcast he has been “arrested four or five times for drunk and disorderly behaviour”.
He also reflected on how he would lose “thousands of pounds in the casino” and the following day he would “wait outside the bookies for it to open to try and win it all back”.
In 2024, Thomas revealed he had been diagnosed with ADHD, which is a neurological condition which can impact concentration and sitting still, according to the NHS.
The Love Island star, who is now a motivational speaker, is also known for appearing on the ITV dating series’ all-stars spin-off show in 2025, where he quit the show early.
