A man diagnosed with one of the country’s most extreme cases of Tourette’s repeatedly swore during an uncensored appearance on This Morning.
Ryan, 22, from Berkshire, was diagnosed with the debilitating condition just a year ago, and it is so severe that there have been days he was unable to leave his flat.
Presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby issued a warning on Tuesday before airing the interview, which was pre-recorded yesterday, explaining that producers had chosen not to censor Ryan’s vocal tics – which can often be offensive – so that he could ‘speak freely’.
During the segment Ryan hit his head several times, shouted ‘k***head’ and made a rude gesture at the cameras, as the presenters continued to talk to him about his condition.
At one point as occupational psychologist Nancy Doyle, who joined Ryan on the daytime show, was speaking, he could be heard saying ‘silver fox’, which caused Phillip to smirk.
Ryan is thought to have one of the most severe cases of Tourette’s in the UK and his vocal tics caused him to swear during an interview on This Morning
Ryan spoke about his condition and how he had lost his job due to a severe tic. He was joined by occupational therapist Nancy Doyle, who appears in the BBC Two show Employable Me
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby warned viewers ahead of the interview that Ryan would be uncensored
Ryan explained on the sofa how many of his tics are observational, and recalled an example for viewers.
‘I am not racist, but I nearly pulled an old lady’s hijab off because I told her that it was too warm for a scarf in the summer. That upsets me because I am not that kind of person,’ he said.
Ryan appeared in BBC Two’s Employable Me, in which he revealed how desperate he was to get back to work after he was forced to drop out of university and lost his job in retail following a severe tic episode.
His physical tics became so bad that as the documentary was being filmed he broke his arm, after punching and smashing a car window screen.
With help from occupational psychologist Nancy, who has made it her aim to help people with disabilities secure employment, Ryan recently began work at an aquatic centre.
Ryan had been told by doctors that his Tourette’s was one of the most extreme cases in the UK. He had only been diagnosed a year ago and had to drop out of university and he lost his job
Desperate to go back to work, Ryan sought guidance from an occupational psychologist who helped him find his passion and secure a job at an aquatic centre
Ryan’s condition caused him to blurt out swear words and make comments on people’s appearance, which meant that a job in customer service was a huge risk.
However, Ryan’s visit to a specialist job centre, the brainchild of Nancy, helped him tap into his potential and understand more about what he can offer – despite not being able to secure any interviews.
The occupational psychologist said: ‘It frustrates me this narrative that all we need to do to get a job is change ourselves… sometimes that’s not true, sometimes the employers aren’t playing ball.’
Ryan, who often worries about how people will react to his verbal tics, has said he tries to hold them in even though it causes him pain.
‘If I keep my tics in it hurts, it feels like fire ants, it’s not a nice feeling.
‘Say your head is a can of pop, if someone shakes it you are going to get that pressure build up until it explodes. That’s when everything spurts out.’
Ryan explained that he often worried about how people would react to his tics, but holding them in caused him pain
Occupational psychologist Nancy (second on the right) advises people with disabilities how they can tap into the job market
Nancy set up the job centre as part of the BBC Two series and pushed Ryan to follow his passion for turtles, which he said helped him find ‘peace and tranquility’.
After being advised to be honest and upfront about his condition, Ryan attended an interview at a local aquatic centre, after which he was offered a one day trial.
He surprised his fellow employees and was warned that his outbursts – which included calling a pair of elderly customers ‘coffin dodgers’ – would normally lead to a disciplinary action.
However, they gave Ryan a second chance when a vacancy later opened and the former student was over the moon.
‘My horizons are a lot bigger than I thought they were. I am over the moon. I am getting employed.
‘To be told my condition is not a big deal, I am beyond happy. I am not going to let my condition beat me.’
Employable Me returns on Monday at 9pm