Cliff Notes – Sam Thompson reveals surprising new diagnosis at 32
- Sam Thompson, the 32-year-old podcaster and reality star, has publicly shared his diagnoses of ADHD and autism, receiving widespread praise from fans for his openness.
- He creatively announced his autism diagnosis through a humorous video on Instagram, engaging his 2.7 million followers and promoting awareness of both conditions.
- Supportive comments flooded in, with fans expressing admiration for his candidness and encouraging him to continue sharing his journey.
Sam Thompson reveals surprising new diagnosis at 32
Sam Thompson’s news has been met with praise from his millions of fans (Picture: James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Sam Thompson has been praised by fans for publicly sharing his new diagnosis.
The podcaster and reality star, 32, was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2023.
As explained by the NHS, the condition means a person’s brain works differently, leading to trouble with things like concentrating and sitting still.
Now, Sam has revealed that he is autistic as well, which is also a condition related to brain development that affects how people see others and socialise with them.
As he informed fans of the update, Sam did so in his famously comical style, sharing a light-hearted video with his 2.7million followers.
Taking to Instagram, the I’m A Celebrity 2023 winner shared a clip of two Sams walking down the street, one to represent himself and the other his ADHD.
‘You got diagnosed with ADHD in your late twenties but something still doesn’t add up..’, he wrote alongside the visuals.
The sketch then sees Sam wearing an inflatable dinosaur costume emerge from around the corner, wearing a beaming smile as he makes the big reveal.
Sam wrote in his caption: ‘Knew there was more to the story 😂’
Taking to the comments, many proudly welcomed Sam to the ‘AuDHD Club’.
‘Love this ! X thank you, as always, for raising awareness and being a great role model 👏👏👏👏👏’, commented @me_us_and_autism.
‘Sam with or without Autism and ADHD you are always going to be loved, this diagnosis just makes you even more lovable ❤️❤️’, added @tracy.c70.
The TV personality was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023 (Picture: Ash Knotek/REX/Shutterstock)
‘Congratulations on discovering the real you! We love you all the same!! ❤️’, said @clarerf0791_.
‘Literally relating SO hard right now🥹’, added @jlstostayingrelevant.
@jessiegrace86 also praised: ‘This is lovely Sam!! The way you have put this in your own fun way in one video is brilliant! You are one of the funniest, most down to earth people and we love you for it ❤️’
Plenty of others urged Sam to ‘keep being you’ and thanked him for ‘sharing [his] journey’.
One commenter, @izzy.flint, recalled when Sam filmed his ADHD documentary shortly after being diagnosed, his therapist said they thought he could ‘also be autistic’.
Sam Thompson: Is This ADHD? aired in May 2023 on E4 and was the work of nine months of recording, as Sam reflected on his own experiences, met with professionals, and spoke to doctors, as well as others with adult ADHD diagnoses.
As ever, Sam is seeing the humour in the matter, having made the reveal with a comical sketch (Picture: Instagram)
Never stop being you, Sam! (Picture: Instagram)
During press for the documentary, Sam told Happiful: ‘I was nervous at the start because I knew it would involve tapping into a life of mine that a lot of people don’t normally see.’
The highly energetic TV personality explained that signs of his ADHD included impulsiveness, procrastination, spiralling in times of stress, forgetting appointments, and losing belongings, including those of his then-girlfriend Zara McDermott, from whom he split last year.
‘When I got the diagnosis, it was a weight lifted off my shoulders,’ Sam added.
‘Thinking about the way I was at school and with my girlfriend, I thought, “I’m not actually a bad person”.’
At the time, Sam praised Zara for supporting him, saying his diagnosis ‘strengthened’ their relationship.
The 28-year-old former Love Islander is now dating Louis Tomlinson after she and Sam called time on their five-year romance over the festive period.
The podcaster felt ‘a weight had been lifted’ (Picture: Instagram)
Sam previously praised ex-girlfriend Zara McDermott for supporting him through his ADHD diagnosis (Picture: Instagram)
Meanwhile, Sam – who will come face-to-face with his ex’s new flame when they both play in Soccer Aid – has been confirmed to be dating Love island series 9 contestant Samie Elishi, 25.
The pair were papped kissing recently after attending Olivia Attwood’s birthday party together, which Sam also arrived at with best pal Pete Wicks, 37.
Staying Relevant co-host Pete has also been by Sam’s side through his health journey, saying while Sam was in the Jungle that his ADHD shouldn’t be perceived as a ‘bad thing’.
‘I have read a lot of comments, and it’s something that I believe shouldn’t define him,’ declared the Strictly star to the Daily Mail.