Shelley Duvall’s mental illness exploited on Dr. Phil show

Hollywood actress Shelley Duvall is set to appear on TV to discuss her worrying mental health which has come under fire from fans claiming the star’s being exploited.

On this week’s episode of Dr. Phil (aired in the US), the former actress reveals the shocking state of her illness by making a series of claims such as how she believes Robin Williams is still alive. Duvall, now 67, played the role of Olive Oyl alongside the late Williams in the 1980 movie ‘Popeye’.

Duvall is a far cry from anything resembling how fans will remember her from classic movies such as Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ and Woody Allen’s ‘Anne Hall’ but in fairness that was almost 40 years ago. Yet admirers of her career will naturally be concerned with the things she says in the short ‘teaser’ clip for the programme.

“I loved Robin Williams, I don’t think he’s dead,” she says about the actor. When asked where he is, she simply replies, “Shapeshifting.”

She also believes that she’s being threatened by “The Sheriff of Nottingham,” and, heartbreakingly so, goes on to say, “I’m very sick, I need help.”

However, the biggest concern from some corners seems to be that the show looks to be parading her in front of the cameras to entertain audiences with her wacky stories and beliefs, which isn’t how mental health issues should be presented.

Worried fans took to social media to express their disapproval of the show and how it portrays Duvall.

Dramatising and making a public spectacle of what can be a very personal issue is where people seem to take issue, and rightly so. Let’s hope Duvall can get the help she needs.

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Picture credit: Getty Images, Rollins-Joffe Productions, Dr. Phil