Ruby Wax sparks concern among fans with her latest appearance from a hospital bed as she promotes her latest book discussing mental health

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Ruby Wax has sparked concern amongst fans with her latest appearance from a hospital bed as she promoted her latest book discussing mental health.

The comedian, 69, has been very open with her audiences in her battle with depression over the years, only last year admitting that the illness that made thoughts 'so agonising it's hard to stay alive'.

And in a post to her 103,000 followers on Instagram on Monday afternoon, Ruby's fans have asked of her wellbeing as she sat on a hospital bed to talk about her book, 'I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was'.

Concern: Ruby Wax has sparked concern amongst fans with her latest appearance from a hospital bed as she promoted her latest book discussing mental health

Having recently been staying in Cape Town to train as a castaway marooned alone on an island for a movie, Ruby has been showing her day-to-day activities.

She learned how to kindle a fire and build a shelter, following in the footsteps of Joanna Lumley who did a similar thing twenty years ago with her BBC show Girl Friday.

However the trip has appeared to take a turn as she ended up showing footage of herself in hospital instead of exploring island life.

Speaking directly to fans in the video, Ruby said: 'Hi my name is Ruby Wax and this is the cover of my new book.

Comedian: The comedian, 69, has been very open with her audiences in her battle with depression over the years, only last year admitting that the illness that made thoughts 'so agonising it's hard to stay alive'

'I think it says it all. No comment from me. It's coming out May 11 and you can preorder it by the link on my bio. It's my new baby.'

She captioned the post: I'm thrilled to share with you all the cover of my new book, 'I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was' - which I think says it all.

'This could be my most honest and raw book to date which feels good, but also a little scary.

Health: And in a post to her 103,000 followers on Instagram on Monday afternoon, Ruby's fans have asked of her wellbeing as she sat on a hospital bed to talk about her book, 'I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was'

'I do hope it might provide some reassurance and guidance for anyone else struggling with their own mental health. It's coming out May 11th and you can pre-order it now via the link in my bio. Ruby x'.

Amongst several hashtags in the post, Ruby wrote: '#DepressionSupport', '#DepressionRecovery' and #PsychiatricHospital.

Fans were quick to send Ruby their well wishes with many concerned at seeing her in hospital with a monitor attached to her heart.

New: Speaking directly to fans in the video, Ruby said: 'Hi my name is Ruby Wax and this is the cover of my new book. I think it says it all. No comment from me. It's coming out May 11 and you can preorder it by the link on my bio. It's my new baby'

One wrote: 'Wtf. hope u ok In hospital bed Ruby ..... cyber hug of soothing vibes coming your way.'

Another added: 'Can't wait to read it.... But are you ok Hun?As we can see you are in hospital.... X'

A third said: ' I hope you're going to be OK my ex wife has been in hospital for nearly two weeks now.'

Support: Fans were quick to send Ruby their well wishes with many concerned at seeing her in hospital with a monitor attached to her heart

Last year, Ruby bared her soul by admitting to fans she is suffering from her first big bout of depression in 12 years, and saying she has 'dead eyes'.

The comedian, 69, who has battled with her mental health over the years and quit TV 25 years ago as a result of depression, admitted she is 'frazzled' and 'didn't spot the signs' as she told fans that battle with the illness that made thoughts 'so agonising it's hard to stay alive.'

Taking to Instagram over the summer, she shared two images of herself and penned a revealing post, writing: 'A sure sign of depression is dead eyes (first picture) In contrast to me when alive and well (second picture)

Opening up: Ruby Wax has bared her soul by admitting to fans she is suffering from her first big bout of depression in 12 years, and saying she has 'dead eyes'

Ruby also told her fans just a few days ago that she was experiencing the first bout of depression in twelve years. She said this time it took her by surprise.

Alongside a zoomed-in image of her eyes, she wrote: 'I have gone on about stopping the stigma for mental illness for about 15 years; writing books, performing in theatre shows speaking at businesses. 

'Questioning why it's treated differently than if someone had a physical disease. Over the years I've asked people suffering from both physical and mental problems which is worse and without exception they always say mental. 

Candid: Taking to Instagram on Monday, she shared two images and penned a revealing post, writing: 'A sure sign of depression is dead eyes (first picture) In contrast to me when alive and well (second picture, above)

'There's a feeling that you've done something wrong when your own mind turns on you and takes revenge for something you never did.

'It's the black hole of diseases where you sit helpless as your mind hammers you with accusitions, sucks out your soul and spits it out and the brutality of your thoughts become so agonizing it's hard to stay alive and have to listen.'

She continued: 'Because I'm committed to dropping the shame, I feel I need to walk the talk at this point. Here's the situation - I have depression at the moment.

'Nothing happened specifically to bring it on. I come from a long line of ancestors with various flavours of mental illness so genetically, it seems it's a no-brainer that I'd be the next in line.

Suffering: The comedian, 69, who has battled with her mental health over the years and quit TV 25 years ago as a result of depression, admitted she is 'frazzled' as she told fans of her current battle with the illness that makes thoughts 'so agonising it's hard to stay alive'

'Not my fault, or even the fault of my relatives, it's deeply planted in our genes.'

Ruby said mindfulness had stopped her suffering for a long time, explaining: 'My last bad bout was about twelve years ago so I haven't done badly. Mindfulness was a wonderful tool, helping me spot early onslaughts and awareness is the key.

'It meant I could hold back the the snowballing effect of depression before it rendered me helpless, where I'd sit gormless in a darkened room too afraid to take a shower.'

She added: 'This time, I didn't spot the signs. I'm coming out of it already otherwise I wouldn't be able to write this because you can hardly speak, let alone type.

'When I recover, I'm going to write my next book called, 'I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was.' Wish me luck.' 

Admission: Ruby also told her fans just a few days ago that she was experiencing the first bout of depression in twelve years. She said this time it took her by surprise

Her candid post was met with a plethora of supportive messages from her fans and showbiz pals, with Dawn French writing: 'Love you Rubes x.'

While Lily Cole penned: 'Sending you loads of love, I have been there too.' 

Ruby has been open about her battle with clinical depression over the years, and in 2013 graduated with a master's degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy from Kellogg College at Oxford University.

Appearing on the Crisis What Crisis? podcast in 2020, she told how she 'lost her mojo' while struggling with her mental health on television, and admitted it severely bruised her ego to be replaced.

However, the Girls On Top actress went on to stress that she's glad her showbiz career came to an end when it did, because she may well have 'harmed herself' if she'd ended up on reality TV, which she believes would have been the inevitable next step.

When asked about her decision to distance herself from showbiz, and throw herself into understanding mindfulness and her study of psychotherapy, she said: 'I was thrown out of it.'

When pushed further, she explained: 'It was a mutual agreement, I started to hit depression while I was on TV, and that made it really difficult.'

The TV personality said her mental health meant her 'brain was shutting down' and she could no longer perform in the way she used to.

Open: 'My last bad bout was about twelve years ago so I haven't done badly. Mindfulness was a wonderful tool, helping me spot early onslaughts and awareness is the key' (pictured in 2021)