Death In Paradise star shares life-changing diagnosis she's ‘still processing' with emotional post to fans about ‘heartache and feeling broken'
A Death In Paradise star has shared a life-changing diagnosis she is 'still processing' in an emotional post to fans about 'heartache and feeling broken'.
Kimberley Nixon, who plays murdered TV presenter Catrina McVey in series eight of the BBC police drama, shared the news on Instagram earlier this month.
The Welsh actress, 39, told her nearly 300,000 followers she had been diagnosed with autism and ADHD.
Alongside a collage of photos of her crying happy tears, she wrote in the caption of her vulnerable post: 'Happy tears. Still processing.
'I feel lighter than I have in a long time because instead of feeling like my brain is "broken", I know now that it was just doing things differently all this time.'
Fans rushed to the comments section to praise and express their support for Kimberley, also known as Josie in Channel 4 university sitcom Fresh Meat.
The rest of the star's caption read: 'I want to go back in time and give my younger self a cwtch [Welsh for hug] and save her a lot of time and heartache but I can't change anything about how I got here really because then I wouldn't be me.
'I've always shared the ups and downs - so I wanted to share this with the most compassionate and accepting bunch I know - and that's been you lot over these past few years.
'From the midst of brutal postnatal OCD through to today's diagnosis, a lot of you have been with me every step of the way. Thank you, thank you.'
Kimberley has previously spoken out about her experience of the mental health condition after the birth of her first child in 2020.
She told Radio Wales's Books That Made Me With Lucy Owen how natural concerns about her baby's wellbeing spiralled into unmanageable anxiety.
The Pontypridd actress explained: 'Those thoughts - it was like what could happen to him? How can I protect him? - they morphed into what if you're a danger to your baby?...
'I was just convinced that I wasn't doing things right. I wasn't feeding him right. What temperature is he supposed to be?
'Every time he cried I was just sort of shaking - I just got really hyper vigilant and terrified.'
She told Radio Wales's Books That Made Me With Lucy Owen how natural concerns about her baby's wellbeing spiralled into unmanageable anxiety. Pictured: Kimberley at the BAFTAs in 2017
She bravely let her followers in on this experience as she was going through it.
And they, along with her friends and fellow stars, have now praised her on her latest Instagram post for sharing her autism and ADHD diagnoses with them too.
Fellow Fresh Meat star Greg McHugh, who played Howard, commented a heart on the post, as did The Bill actress Georgia Tennant.
Candice Brown, celebrity chef and 2016's winner of The Great British Bake Off, said: 'I'm so pleased for you.'
Meanwhile, satirical news site The Daily Tism commented: 'One of us! Congratulations!'
Autistic content creator Corinne Bryan weighed in: 'Congratulations. The diagnosis for me was the starting point for the rest of my life (and it's only been six months).
'Take time to process, you've got this.'
Ellie Middleton, an influencer who also has autism and ADHD, said: 'Congrats! Welcome to the club.'
Fans, friends and fellow stars rushed to the comments section to praise and express their support for Kimberley
The Maternal Mental Health Alliance charity commented: 'We hope it brings you some self-compassion and understanding.'
They were joined by the All Aboard ADHD podcast account, which said: 'Congratulations and welcome to our world.'
Other commenters were just as encouraging: 'Congratulations on the first day of the rest of your life.';
'Welcome. Go gently with yourself as you adjust to a new inner reality.';
'Congrats! Bet it must feel so relieving to have more answers. I'm autistic and accepting that helped me so much more in my life.';
'Sending you the biggest hug! Thank you for being so wonderful on here and sharing your journey with us all.'
Alongside Death In Paradise and Fresh Meat, Kimberley is well known for her role as vicar's daughter Sophy Hutton in 2007 BBC period drama Cranford.
Based on three Elizabeth Gaskell novellas, it follows life in the titular fictional village in the 1840s.
She later appeared in the 2008 teen comedies Wild Child and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, playing antagonist popular girl Lindsay in the latter.
Kimberley has also starred alongside comedian Chris Ramsey in 2012 BBC comedy series Hebburn.
Set in the fictional titular town in Tyne and Wear, it follows the Pearson family, whose son Jack has secretly married middle-class Jewish woman Sarah on a drunken night in Las Vegas.
Kimberley's latest Instagram post sees her join a troupe of celebrities who have all been courageously vulnerable about their autism and ADHD diagnoses.
Former Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson also has both conditions, diagnosed with them in 2023.
He has regularly spoken out about his experience, posting a clip on Instagram last month, for instance, to try to convey to followers how it affects him.
The video showed two versions of him walking down the street, one to represent himself and the other his ADHD.
It began with the caption: 'You got diagnosed with ADHD in your late twenties but something still doesn't add up...'
It began with the caption: 'You got diagnosed with ADHD in your late twenties but something still doesn't add up...'
The light-hearted sketch then sees Sam wearing an inflatable dinosaur costume emerge from around the corner, with a beaming smile - to represent his later diagnosis with autism.
Sam then added a text caption, which read: 'Knew there was more to the story'
In 2024, Sam became the official ambassador of ADHD UK after he was diagnosed aged 30 - and has previously called the condition his 'superpower' several times.
I'm A Celebrity winner Sam said he is trying to 'encourage conversation around the topic' to help change people's minds on how people view ADHD.
Sharing his new role with followers, Sam wrote on Instagram: 'BIG NEWS! I am so honoured to announce that I am now an official ambassador of @ADHDUK.CO.UK.
'As many of you know, this is a cause very close to my heart.'
He continued: 'Changing perceptions of those with ADHD, and encouraging conversation around this topic is and will continue to be a huge and central part of my life.
'This is what I want my legacy to be, above anything else.
'Since I left the jungle, I've met so many children and adults who have come up to me, or contacted me to say I've helped change their minds on how they view ADHD.
'I want to reach as many people as I possibly can, especially young people and show there is such magic in being neurodiverse.
'Yes, there are some very real challenges along the way, but with the right support, it can be a superpower, it can be a blessing and we can achieve all of our dreams.'
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