I was unable to read and write but now I’m a multi millionaire and TV star – here’s how you can turn things around too
TOMMY Mallet admits how he struggled with the symptoms of ADHD throughout his life.
He’s best known for his role on the long-running ITVBe show and he now has his own successful shoe company.
But it hasn’t always been easy for Tommy, 31, as he opened up on his journey to success.
In a new interview, the TV personality admitted that he struggled to read and write well before his diagnosis of ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
Speaking to The Daily Mail, he said: “For me ADHD is a super power, it just needs to be understood properly.
“If you can understand it and work with it, it can be the best tool you’ll ever get in your life as I can out perform most people in most things.
“When I was undiagnosed, I couldn’t read and write, I wasn’t able to express myself properly and now I can express myself really really well.
“I can do meetings with billionaires or sit down with a kid at school who’s in a unit.”
He previously welcomed a son – a two-year-old son named Brodie – with his co-star and partner Georgia Kousoulou, 32, in 2021.
Now, he says that his home life with his partner and his son is what is most important to him.
He explained: “I live a very uncomfortable life because I’m constantly chasing after the next thing and I don’t know the feeling of what being content is.
“The money side is one part of my life but I also want to be a dad and be present as a partner. I’ve really got that balance in the first time in my life.
“When you’re sitting there, thinking and trying to be the best all the time, it’s very hard to do that but then sit at home and get up late. I have to get up in the morning, I have to train to be half stable.”
He added: “Those who are struggling with ADHD, if you can tap into it like I have and give yourself a routine, it could be so good for you.”
The star rose to fame when he joined the cast of Towie in 2014 for it’s thirteenth instalment.
But he admits now he’s in charge of a successful shoe empire, he’s got no intentions to going back onto TV anytime soon.
“I’m successful so nothing matters to me any more. I’m past that stage of being a reality TV star,” Tommy explained.
He also admitted that going on shows like The Only Way is Essex only exacerbated his ADHD symptoms,
He admitted: “I’ve got this thing where I’m impulsive and where it affected me the most is being so worried about people selling stories or me being involved in something at the wrong time. Now I’m at the stage at my life where I’ve got success the worry has gone.
“I had so much torture in my head of being thrown off the show or doing something wrong.”
Tommy added: “I did miss out on a lot with having ADHD on TOWIE because I didn’t trust myself in a lot of situations so it did make my journey a bit tougher.”
What is ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that includes symptoms such as being restless and having trouble concentrating.
According to the NHS symptoms include Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing), hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Many people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case.
Symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers are well defined, and they’re usually noticeable before the age of six.
The condition can be treated with various medicines as well as talking therapy.
The cause is unclear but it tends to run in families.
