A County Durham television personality is hoping to shine a light on the reality of obsessive compulsive disorder after appearing in a Channel 5 documentary.
Trimdon's Kelly Waite is known to viewers from programmes including Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners and Country House Cleaners.
She shared her story in Do You Have OCD?, a Channel 5 documentary about OCD's impact on everyday life that aired earlier this year.
Kelly has spent years campaigning on invisible illnesses, mental health, bullying and disability access. She said she wanted the programme to challenge misconceptions about OCD.
She said: "I've suffered with OCD all my life and this time I was given full control of the context and narrative.
"I wanted to show just how much this illness affects my life.
"It's never just been about having to clean.
"It's rituals, intrusive thoughts, loss of control and debilitating anxiety that stops me driving and even leaving my house some days.
"It's absolutely horrendous and to be given this huge opportunity and platform to portray that, I'm just so thankful."
Kelly said many people fail to understand how debilitating OCD can be, calling it one of her toughest daily challenges.
The documentary also features her partner Alan, who was paralysed in a motorbike accident.
Kelly and her partner Alan filming for the new Channel 5 documentary. (Image: KELLY WAITE)
Alan also lives with ADHD and borderline personality disorder.
Kelly said: "Mental and physical health is something we have to battle together on a daily basis."
Raising awareness has become Kelly's lifelong mission.
In 2015 she appeared on Channel 4's show Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners where she described how she spends 30 hours a week cleaning and bleaches her toilet six times a day.
Kelly received a British Citizen Award (BCA) in 2017 after being nominated by a friend.
Kelly presented with her British Citizens Award. (Image: KELLY WAITE)
(Image: KELLY WAITE)
She was one of 30 people to receive the Medal of Honour, awarded for extraordinary work in the local community.
Kelly has also competed in pageants, winning Miss County Durham Galaxy 2010, Miss Publicity Galaxy 2010, World Miss Tourism 2011, Miss Stardust Boutique 2012, Miss Cover Model 2014 and Miss Elite Beauty 2016.
After appearing in a beauty pageant in 2011, she became an ambassador for the Dream Foundation of Uganda and worked with the African children's charity to empower children through education and fight HIV, Aids and poverty.
The Channel 5 programme is not Kelly's first project about OCD.
(Image: KELLY WAITE)
Kelly made two films in 2019 and 2020: The Voice Within and Trapalation 19.
She filmed Trapalation 19 on her phone, and it won the Gold Award for Best Narrative Short at the Pinnacle Film Awards.
Kelly also lives with Asperger's syndrome, Hashimoto's disease, alopecia and chronic conditions including fibromyalgia, ME and chronic fatigue syndrome.
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She hopes her latest television appearance will spark more conversations about OCD and help people with the condition feel less alone.
"Any opportunity I have to spread awareness for our illnesses and disabilities, I will," she said.
"I'm just a girl from a little village in County Durham who had a dream and tried to make a little bit of a difference."