Comic Rooke to probe masculinity and mental health for BBC Three

Comedian Jack Rooke is to present a BBC Three documentary series about male identity and mental health.

How To Be Male And Happy is a three part short-form series that will air on BBC Three as part of a season of films around mental health.

Rooke, 23, previously attracted acclaim for his 2015 theatrical stand-up show Good Grief, about losing his dad to cancer. 

Some years later his best friend Olly took his own life after battling depression.

How To Be Male And Happy is described as Jack’s ‘one-man mission to explore male identity, mental health and body image as he hangs out with men of different ages who have found their own ways of managing what life has thrown at them’.

In the course of the series he tries cold-water swimming, bares all in a life drawing class and dances outside Pentonville Prison dressed up as his drag alter ego Amber Dextrous. 

The series, made by the BBC, is executive produced by Matt Ralph and Nasfim Haque.

Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s director of content, said of the season: ‘One in four of us experience mental health problems in any given year and yet people with mental health issues still feel isolated and unable to talk about them. 

‘I hope this season of thought-provoking programmes across the BBC will contribute to an important national conversation, challenge discrimination and tackle the stigma that continues to surround mental health.’

The season also includes a two-part programme on BBC One about a group of runners affected by mental health issues as they prepare to run the London Marathon; a Horizon special on BBC Two looking at schizophrenia and the treatment of psychoses; and a documentary on stress for BBC One.

Published: 17 Jan 2017