‘Therapy played a massive part in my return to music'
Capaldi performed a 35-minute surprise set on the Pyramid stage earlier this month, two years after being unable to finish his set on the same stage when he struggled to manage the symptoms of his Tourette syndrome.
Advertisement
He announced a break from touring shortly after his 2023 performance at the Somerset festival.
During a conversation with one of his best friends, released to mark the singer's new partnership with BetterHelp online therapy platform, the Scottish musician opened up about both of his Glastonbury performances and how therapy played a part in returning to his career.
The Scottish singer received an outpouring of support from fans during both his 2023 and 2025 Glastonbury performances Photo: Yui Mok/PA.
Of the 2023 performance, Capaldi said it was 'literally the worst moment' of his life.
He said: 'It was a big, big, big old gig.
Advertisement
'Second song in I was probably just like 'this has to like… I can't keep doing this to myself and other people as well'.
'People were coming to gigs, and I was like 'that's not how you want to watch a show'.
'As far as I was concerned, I was like, 'I'm done indefinitely'.'
The 28-year-old, best known for songs Someone You Loved and Before You Go, said he felt anxious because he 'wasn't living in the moment at all' and was 'catastrophising'.
Advertisement
Capaldi said: 'Therapy has been such a massive part of my last two years, a massive part of the reason that I'm able to be a musician again.
'In partnership with BetterHelp and sort of to reflect my experience of therapy and the importance I feel it has in my life and other people's lives, we're giving away 734,000 free hours of therapy.'
He added: 'The importance of that number is that it's 1,000 hours for every single day that I have, well, since I last played on stage and I feel like, if I can be a part of sharing that with other people, why not?'
Capaldi said therapy had played a 'massive part' in his return to music (Yui Mok/PA)
Asked how he had reached a point where he felt better, the Grammy-nominated artist said he had previously been 'lying' to a therapist and 'telling them what I thought they wanted to hear'.
Advertisement
Of therapy, he said: 'I really struggle with it, it's not fun.
'I don't have a fun time there.
'I feel amazing after, it's like going to the gym, I think, which obviously I'm well versed in.'
He continued: 'Sometimes it can be really difficult, but I think I do it because I realise how important is for me to continue to feel good, because I've felt the best I felt in a long time through therapy, I would say that has been the cornerstone of like, why I feel how good I feel now.
Advertisement
'I think that's a big thing that I've noticed or found, is that different therapists work for different people.
'So I think it's all about giving the time to therapy as well, also not expecting that quick fix and I'm someone who likes instant gratification and sort of the quickest thing and all the rest of it, so I think coming to terms with that was a big thing.'
The 28-year-old said he thinks he will always be an 'anxious person' (Yui Mok/PA)
'I think I'll always be an anxious person,' he added.
'I think accepting that that's always going to be there for me is a big thing.
'It's about how I respond to anxiety and how I respond to a lot of stuff in my life.
'It's how I, I don't like this phrase, but 'show up for myself'.
'I have neglected to look after myself in the past, both mentally and physically, and I have made promises to myself that I haven't kept.
'I think for me, it's accepting that I'm always going to have this stuff there, it's about how I sort of respond, what steps I take to sort of remain at like base level.'
On his preparations for Glastonbury this year, Capaldi said he had performed 'secret gigs' that were 'warm-up shows' in Scotland to 'ease in'.
At his first warm-up show in Edinburgh, Capaldi said he felt a 'rush of adrenaline' before managing to calm himself.
'Before I did the last song, I was just explaining to everybody who was there how grateful I was that they had shown up and come along and I think I didn't realise how much I actually missed being on stage and then I just started to cry,' he said.
During the 2025 Glastonbury show, Capaldi performed his new track Survive, which has since gone to number one on the singles chart.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Mark Wright 'signs up for much-loved television show' with cast rumoured to include Molly-Mae Hague and JoJo Siwa - three months after the birth of his first child with Michelle Keegan
Mark Wright has reportedly agreed to appear on the next instalment of Celebrity Bake Off. The reality TV star, 38, will be joining a star-studded cast on the much-loved Channel 4 show, with Molly-Mae Mague and JoJo Siwa two of the celebrities rumoured to have signed up. If the speculation is true, it would mark the radio host's first television appearance since the birth of his daughter Palma Elizabeth in March, who he shares with wife Michelle Keegan. Filming for the show, which is set to air next year, is believed to have already finished. A source told The Sun: 'Mark has had his hands full being a new dad but he found time to film for the new series of Celebrity Bake Off. 'It's a cause close to Mark's heart as it's all for the Stand Up Cancer charity and he is a big fan of the show. 'It won't air until next year so fans will have to wait a good few months to find out how he fares in the tent.' After the most recent series of Celebrity Bake Off finished in March, speculation about the possible cast for next year's follow-up has been rife. While both Molly-Mae and JoJo have been rumoured to enter the tent, Babatunde Aleshe was the latest star to have reportedly signed up last month. The 38-year-old previously featured on I'm A Celeb in 2022. A TV insider told The Sun: 'Babatunde is guaranteed to be hilarious and will no doubt have plenty of banter with Paul, Noel, Caroline and Alison. 'He's not known for his prowess in the kitchen so there's sure to be some panicky moments laced with the good humour he's known for. 'His energy on the Gogglebox sofa has always been pure positivity and very infectious, and bosses are hoping he'll bring that to the tent.' Former Love Island star and influencer extraordinaire Molly-Mae's rumoured inclusion would mark her long-awaited return to reality TV. A source seemingly confirmed speculation about her appearing on the show, saying: 'She will be a great addition to the line-up and bring a healthy helping of Love island glamour to the tent. 'Molly's now one of Britain's biggest TV stars and has seen her fame steadily grow since she first appeared on the ITV dating show back in 2019.' Mark's decision to join Molly, JoJo and Babatunde in the tent comes after 'the biggest achievement of his life', welcoming his new-born with Michelle, 38. Having married in 2015, it wasn't until a decade later in March of this year that the couple announced the birth of their first-born. It's thought that they chose the name Palma because of their strong links to Mallorca, which has been their go-to holiday destination for years and the setting of their pregnancy reveal photoshoot. Appearing on his Heart Breakfast show with Olly Murs a few days after his daughter's birth, Mark recalled the moment he got to hold her for the first time. The former TOWIE star said: 'Mate, it's actually hard to put into words. 'It's the biggest achievement of my life it's all I think about but obviously, hats go off to my wife she is an absolute superhuman, a superhero for bringing this baby into the world.' Sharing his appreciation for Michelle, he added: 'It makes you realise what our mums did for us and makes me have so much more respect than I already had and what women had to go through. 'It's the best feeling in the world. I wake up every morning just so excited to see her face.' He continued: 'That moment when I held her in my arms, it gets me emotional now thinking about it. 'I suppose everything else goes out the window and its made me realise what life is all about and my little baby Palma I love you so much and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.
BBC News
33 minutes ago
- BBC News
Free activities every night of summer holidays across Sefton parks
A range of free events for young people are being rolled out across Sefton's parks every night over the summer Park Nights activities include inflatable sports, archery, kin ball, which is a team game played with a large ball, along with crazy golf, go-karts and have been put on by Sefton Council and run from 17:00 to 19:00 BST throughout the week across parks in Birkdale, Bootle, Crosby, Formby, Litherland, Maghull, Netherton and Southport.A council spokesperson said: "Sessions will take place in parks across Sefton, offering a fantastic way for young people to stay active, try new sports, and enjoy the summer evenings." The free activities, which run until 29 August, are being put on as part of the authority's Active Sefton change weekly and are weather dependent, the council said. Locations Park Nights activities will take place at:Duke Street in Formby and Marian Gardens in Netherton from 17:00 to 19:00 BST every Monday, with the exception of Monday 25 AugustKirkstone Park in Litherland and Bedford Park in Birkdale from 17:00 to 19:00 BST on TuesdayKing George V in Maghull and Linacre Bridge Community Hub in Bootle from 17:00 to 19:00 BST on Wednesday Poets Park in Bootle and Hesketh Park in Southport from 17:00 to 19:00 BST on ThursdayCanning Road Recreation Ground in Southport and Coronation Park in Crosby from 17:00 to 19:00 BST on Friday Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
33 minutes ago
- BBC News
'Scarborough Open Air Theatre told me to bring sun cream then confiscated it'
On a scorching hot weekend in June, Leanne Fish prepared to dance the evening away at Scarborough Open Air 39-year-old, from Hull, was a regular at the venue and this time had booked to see electronic duo Basement temperatures set to reach 25 degrees, the theatre posted to Instagram, reminding concert goers to pack sunglasses and sun arrived on 21 June, armed with her factor 30 - only to be asked to hand it over by security staff. "Being fair-skinned and previously being diagnosed with cancer, I take things like that a little bit more seriously," Leanne said."I always take my sun cream everywhere anyway."Once at the venue, security did the usual routine of checking bags, but stopped Leanne when they found her sun cream."He said 'oh you can't take it in' and I replied, 'well why can't I take it in?'," Leanne said."He told me it's not allowed, it's on the prohibited items list."He took it off me, I wasn't allowed to go in with it." Upset by the situation, Leanne messaged her dad, Steve Fish, once she got inside. "I was straight on the phone to Scarborough Open Air Theatre and the lady on the phone said it was down to the security," he said."I was annoyed about it on the day because the sun cream just goes in a bin apparently, so it's just a waste of money."Steve believed the sun cream could have been mistaken for a spray or aerosol and that was the reason for its removal. "The security guys maybe need a little bit more training to identify what is and what isn't a spray," he added.A spokesperson for Scarborough Open Air Theatre confirmed sun cream was not on the prohibited items added all security teams had been "thoroughly briefed" on what was and what was not a prohibited item and they were looking into Leanne's complaint. Leanne is due to return to the venue in August for a Will Smith concert, but said she was worried the same thing would happen again."I'll be in the seated section this time, so I'll be sat in the sunny area of the arena," she said."If the sun's out and it's warm, I'm going to need sun cream."When they specifically put out a safety message, you go through the gate and they take it off you, it's ridiculous."The venue said the management team would speak to Leanne about her experience and "ensure her next visit to Scarborough OAT is a pleasurable one for both her and her family". "Just to reiterate, sun cream is not a prohibited item at the venue and Leanne should 100% bring this with her to the concert she is attending in August," a spokesperson said. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
