Kirsty Young has revealed she suffered from eating disorder bulimia and admits she was lucky to have beaten the illness within six months.
The Scottish television presenter suffered with the condition at the age of 17 when she was working as an au pair in Switzerland.
Speaking to the Radio Times, she said: "I feel funny saying it because I'm now a different person. Although it was horrible, I don't want to overplay it - 'TV Kirsty's bulimic hell' - because people suffer for decades."
She added: "I was lucky. I talked myself out of it in six months."
The broadcaster, who conducted the magazine interview to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the BBC's Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs, said that having children changed her attitude to work.
Kirsty is married to businessman Nick Jones and has two daughters Freya, 10, and Iona, four - and two stepchildren, aged 16 and 18.
She said: "Having children honed my ambition. I thought if I was going to leave them every day, I'd better do something honest and stimulating.
"I changed my working life when my husband, who is unbelievably good at what he does, decided to expand his business.
"You can't have two parents away all the time, so I do my research at home."
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