By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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A popular radio host in Britain received an on-air phone call from a suicidal man who had taken an overdose—and managed to keep him on the line for half an hour until medical help arrived.
Iain Lee, 45, hosts the show Late Night Alternative on talkRADIO. On Wednesday night, he got a call from a man identified as Chris, who said he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. He said he had taken a cocktail of drugs within the last hour.
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Lee managed to keep the man talking and asked him questions to find out his whereabouts and appearance.
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The man, aged around 60, said he was near a nightclub in the city of Plymouth, in southwest England. These details were passed on to emergency services by the show's producer, The Plymouth Herald reported.
Lee pleaded with the man, saying: "Do you want to die Chris? Chris I love you brother, you deserve better this. Whatever has happened, I promise you it can be sorted. It might not be easy."
Lee became agitated during the call when Chris fell silent and said: "Where's this bloody ambulance? Jesus, come on."
When the line went quiet again, Lee said: "This is horrendous. Can anyone hear me? Hello, can anyone hear me?" Then there was murmuring on the line and Lee continued: "Chris, you're still alive! Thank Christ."
After the show, Lee tweeted: "Long periods of silence where I thought he'd died. F**k, that was intense and upsetting. Thanks for your kind words. I really hope he makes it."
The DJ's actions were praised by others on social media. Devon and Cornwall police inspector Kevin Morley said in a tweet: "My officers that attended and are now dealing with the caller.
"This is a very typical call for us sadly and December is a hard month for many. We will do our best to direct him to long-term support."
Lee is a British comedian and television personality who starred in the reality show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. He has spoken publicly of his own battles with mental health issues and previously revealed that he felt suicidal after coming off antidepressants.
South Western ambulance service said: "SWASFT paramedics were called at 11pm, December 19 to Derry's Cross, Barbican, by a radio station who were concerned for the welfare of a patient. The male patient was treated at the scene and taken onto Derriford Hospital ED for further treatment."
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