EXCLUSIVE: The Iain Dean actor, 36, said he suffered from PTSD after the traumatic birth of his twins and playing paramedic in the grips of depression

Michael Stevenson playing Iain Dean in Casualty (Image: BBC / Alistair Heap)

Casualty star Michael Stevenson has revealed how playing a paramedic in the grips of depression affected his health – and home life.

The 36-year-old actor also told how he believes he suffered from PTSD after the ­traumatic birth of his twins.

His character Iain Dean is at the centre of a special episode of the BBC drama this Saturday – only the second time in the show’s history that all the action is set outside the hospital.

It follows Iain’s journey of recovery after trying to take his own life earlier this year.

Michael, who has ­six-year-old son Jack and four-year-old twin girls Emmy and Isla with actress Lauren Crace, said: “I’ve not been the picture of health in the last 12 months.

Lauren Crace, son Jack & Michael Stevenson (Image: Piers Allardyce/REX/Shutterstock)
“You’re very lucky if you can do that kind of thing and it not affect you.

“I didn’t go the gym for a year. What you’re playing on screen affects you in your home life.

“I ate a lot of junk food, pies, Scotch eggs.

“There were times when I felt quite isolated. I drive two hours to work, then I work 10 hours playing a depressed person, then I drive for two hours to get home, on my own in the car.”

He revealed his own mental health battle.

He said: “I probably had mild PTSD after my twins were born. That was a pretty traumatic time.

“They thought they had ­malrotation, which can be really dangerous in the stomach.

Mum Lauren with the twins (Image: Collect unknown)
“I remember phoning my dad, they hadn’t heard anything from us for a few days and were worried, and hearing his voice, it all came out and I wept.”

Michael said the episode depicting Iain coming back from the brink is important to show viewers that there is hope.

He said: “Nobody is immune. Everyone is affected by something, whatever walk of life you’re in.

“They can suffer but help is there.”