Anna first found fame with big hitting children’s television shows on CITV, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. However, away from her successful TV career and behind closed doors, she suffered from an almost crippling battle with generalised anxiety disorder. On speaking out about her experiences, she realised there was a huge stigma attached to mental health issues. To help fight and remove these stigmas, Anna joined mental health charity Mind as an official ambassador. Anna felt it was important to help others battle anxiety and depression, and since 2009 studied and qualified as a counsellor, life coach and Master NLP practitioner. She now runs her own private coaching practice offering those in need 1 to 1 coaching sessions.
Anna’s personal experience, expertise and caring nature have led to her own agony aunt column for teen magazine Girl Talk, and fitness magazine Top Sante, who recruited her to provide advice and support through monthly reader questions, regular Facebook chats and ad-hoc columns and features. She can also be seen speaking on mental health in schools, businesses and at corporate event, whilst also fronting online videos for the likes of AOL and Youtube to great success. Her heart-warming talks teach audiences self-empowerment and self-motivation techniques. As well as dealing with stress and exam pressure, learning mindfulness, a growth mind-set and resilience.
In 2014 Anna went on to take part in ITV’s celebrity diving show Splash! Where she swan dived her way through to the semi-finals, and became the last female standing in the competition. Following this Anna went on to front several weekly strands called ‘Ask Anna’, on multi award winning ITV daytime show This Morning. Due to the features great success, Anna has been invited back as a regular to join the team on This Morning, covering issues spanning mental health, family relationships, parenting, and has hosted phone ins on cases such as the Rotherham sex scandal.
2015 saw Anna explore her wild side hosting the Gumball 3000, a huge international motorsports rally. Alongside her co-driver Robbie Fowler, she spent a week fronting this tremendous sports race all the way from Stockholm through to Las Vegas, interviewing, and co-driving with the likes of Dolph Lundgren and Lewis Hamilton, and covering all things cars, fashion and entertainment!
As a highly credible source in the showbiz industry, with her own successful column in Digital Spy, Anna thoroughly enjoys hosting the red carpet premiers for the big blockbuster movies. Combined with her reputable media profile as a 'mind, body and soul' campaigner, Anna can also be found hosting her own radio show on talkRADIO every Saturday night; Later With Anna Williamson, a heady mix of showbiz, sex and relationships.
Throughout 2016 and 2017 Anna has been invited back to join Ryaln Clarke on Channel 5’s Big Brother’s Bit on the Side, as their agony aunt and psychology expert. Along with joining the National Lottery team to host the Wednesday Lotto Draw and as a reporter on a BBC Inside Out film about the rise of freezing eggs.
Anna wrote a book for Bloomsbury last year which was #1 on Amazon – called Breaking Mad. Sharing her own experiences of being diagnosed with anxiety, it challenged the myths around anxiety and was an easy to read, accessible guide to helping readers through anxiety issues. Written in collaboration with a psychologist, Dr Reetta Newell, it was a national bestseller, and got some wonderful press. Her follow up book 'Breaking Mum and Dad' is aimed at parents coping with all that a new baby can bring, focusing on mental health and anxiety and offering practical advice. Written in her clear, comforting, accessible and honest tone, this promises to do so much good in an area of mental health that is often overlooked or brushed under the carpet. 'Breaking Mum and Dad' promises to go straight into the bestseller listings once again.
In addition, the NHS commissioned Anna to write a short story aimed at 7-11 year olds to help raise awareness in young children about mental health. 'Flo & The Funny Feelings' focuses on a 9-year-old girl who is experiencing worry, stress and anxiety for the very first time. It follows her journey of discovery as she learns to overcome the 'funny feelings' with the help of her mum, teacher and school friends. The book is part of the I Am Whole Campaign and is available for free, digital download through schools -Â
https://www.whole.org.uk/
primaryschools/
Anna is very proud of her celebrity ambassador and national spokesperson roles for Mind, The Princes Trust and Childline. Recently she joined Ant and Dec for the 5th year running, to host the Princess Trust Celebrate Success Awards alongside HRH The Prince of Wales, and continues to use her expertise as a counsellor working with young people.
She is also a versatile voice over artist, and credits include Sony, GMTV, ITV, Channel 4, Nickelodeon, MTV and Living TV.
