Broken Open

The true story of how ABC broadcaster Craig Hamilton stared down his demons to survive a mental breakdown.

The true story of how ABC broadcaster Craig Hamilton stared down his demons to survive a mental breakdown.

Broken Open is the story of ABC sports broadcaster Craig Hamilton and how, on the eve of the biggest undertaking of his career, he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Instead of covering the Sydney Olympics Craig was confined to a padded cell in a mental institution and later diagnosed as suffering bipolar disorder.

This catastrophe not only denied Craig his place at the Games, it almost ruined his career and turned his role as devoted husband and father into a living hell.

From his initial shocking breakdown to his gradual and eventual recovery, Craig sifts through the evidence to identify the warning signs that might have told him he was in serious trouble. This trail identifies a family man who could be so typical of any of us. It illustrates that mental illness is not something that just happens to other people. It is an issue much closer to home and touches many more lives than we could ever imagine.