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“It nearly broke me”: Nate Byrne details on-air panic attack

News Breakfast weather presenter bravely details how he has worked to offset possible panic attacks in his life.

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News Breakfast weather presenter Nate Byrne has bravely detailed his experience of having a panic attack whilst Live on air.

The former Naval Officer, who joined ABC in 2017, reveals he was once rushing late for his segment when feelings began to rise…

“As I stood there trying to make it sound like I wasn’t slightly puffed (probably not a great look for breakfast TV, I thought), all of a sudden, my body started tingling, my heart rate rose and I realised I was drenched in sweat,” he wrote at ABC Online.

“As soon as the camera was off me, I dropped my on-air demeanour and doubled over, trying to catch my breath, light headed and confused about what was happening.

“I waved off help from our floor manager and headed back to my desk.

“But 15 minutes later I had my second panic attack, and it nearly broke me.”

ABC managed to tell viewers he was feeling unwell on the second occasion, with Michael Rowland stepping in.

Byrne also gives the perspective from co-host Lisa Millar.

“My first thought was ‘he’s having a stroke, there’s something wrong’. The stillness of the studio as someone flails on air like that was something I’d not experienced before. I frantically looked to the floor manager Jo Sumic and I could see his eyes flickering as his brain ticked over ‘how do we save this?'” she told him.

“It was only later I learned what had overcome you. It seemed to come out of nowhere and was gone the next day although I remember you did ask us to keep an eye on you a little more closely. It was such a lesson for me to watch that panic/anxiety attack happen in front of me. It’s not often it happens for people live on air.”

Byrne has addressed the problem with a psychologist but concedes it is never far away.

“I still occasionally have those feelings return– in fact, as I write, even remembering my experiences have raised my hackles a bit — but talking about my anxiety and seeking treatment mean that it’s something I can live with and manage.”

It’s rare to get such insight into mental health in a Live television environment. You can read more, and pose questions on Friday morning, here.

There are also clips that show how it manifested for him, in the vision below.

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4 Responses

  1. Congratulations to Nate for his bravery on speaking out about anxiety and his experience with it. I myself have experienced it and most people at some time in their life will as well. There’s nothing to be ashamed about if you experience it as it’s a natural fight or flight reaction going on in your brain. Not bottling it up internally and speaking about your experience is such an important step to helping you overcome it. Concentrating on your 5 senses for 10 seconds each is a great method you can use to calm you down. As Nate says in that video, he squeezes his fingers together, so he’s using touch. Look at something and focus your eyes on it and notice all the detail of it. Taste something like a coffee or whatever and really think about what your tasting. Smell something. Concentrate on the sound of something. Well done Nate for being so open and honest about it.

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