Reality TV star Alex Bowen has made an emotional and desperate plea for men to talk more openly, following the devastating suicide of his best friend. The Love Island alumnus, 34, described 2022 as a year that was supposed to be his happiest, but was instead shattered by profound loss.
A World Turned Upside Down
Just five months after welcoming his first son, Abel, with wife Olivia Bowen, Alex received the news that his closest friend, Joe Richards, had taken his own life. "I've never lost anyone before, especially in that kind of way, so it was really, really shocking to me," Alex revealed in a candid interview. His immediate reaction was one of stunned isolation. "When I found out, I went on a two-hour walk, just over the fields at the back. I literally just dropped my phone and left."
Returning home to his young family, Alex initially turned to alcohol to numb the pain, but quickly realised this was not a sustainable path through grief. Instead, he channelled his energy into fundraising and raising awareness for men's mental health charities, determined to create something positive from the tragedy.
The 'Double Message' System and Breaking the Stigma
Alex explained that the experience has fundamentally changed how he and his circle of friends communicate. They have instituted a simple but powerful protocol to ensure they are genuinely checking in on one another.
"Me and my friends double message," he said. "So we'll be like, 'Are you OK?' Then ask, 'Are you really OK?' It gives you the option to open up or not." He believes this second, more deliberate question can break through the often superficial banter of typical lads' group chats.
Alex is passionate about dismantling the stigma that prevents men from seeking help. "To me, being a man is all different things rolled into one. It's showing strength, but you can show strength from showing weakness. If you're struggling, you can ask for help, and it doesn't mean you're less of a man to do so." He is determined that his now three-year-old son, Abel, and newborn daughter, Siena, will grow up in a world where discussing mental wellbeing is normalised.
Finding Strength in Family and Routine
The couple's journey to expanding their family has not been without its own hardships. Olivia and Alex suffered the loss of one of their twins eight weeks into her second pregnancy, a blow Alex said hit him "really hard." Olivia later gave birth to Siena in August via an emergency caesarean, during which she lost 2.8 litres of blood.
Alex credits a solid routine and his return to fitness—he now runs an online coaching business—with keeping him mentally grounded. "It might not work for everyone but I've realised that if I don't have a routine, my mind just wanders and I'm all over the place," he admitted.
He also spoke about his own past struggles with body image and the negative impact of social media, which led him to delete platform X. "Over the years, I'd get 100 good comments, but I'd always focus on the one bad one," he reflected, expressing concern about the pressure social media will place on his own children.
Through the compounded grief of losing a friend and a unborn child, Alex and Olivia's resolve has only strengthened. "We're not quitters. When times are tough, we just work through them," he stated.
If you're struggling and need someone to talk to, call Samaritans for free, any time, day or night, on 116 123.
