Speaking to hosts Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, the 58-year-old fought back tears as he recounted the upsetting details of Maddy’s eating disorder.
The newsreader’s voice cracked as he revealed: “She was there physically but she had gone.”
“She was a hollowed out person. It broke my heart,” he added.
Previous to her condition, Mark explained that Maddy was a healthy and competitive athlete, but “descended into this terrible world where she was shrinking away”.
When asked by the presenters if Mark knew why or how his daughter deteriorated so much, he revealed he still doesn’t know the answer.
“She felt out of control and unworthy and the only thing she could control was what she was putting into her mouth,” recalled Mark.
Even though Maddy is now 22 and is “for all intents and purposes” back to where she was [before the anorexia], the ordeal has clearly not been easy for Mark and his family.
He continued: “It hasn’t been easy to put [the family] out there but I feel so strongly about the issue that I felt I needed to. I’m so proud of her.”
Mark’s story gained attention at the weekend when he revealed in The Sunday Times that he told his daughter: “If you really want to starve yourself to death, just get on with it.”
He admitted on This Morning that “is what [he] felt” but also explained that the harsh words had a positive effect on Maddy.
“She said that it was something she remembered and something that kicked her into some sort of sanity,” he announced.
Viewers of the emotional interview were quick to praise Mark for raising such important issues, with one tweeting: “@markaustinitv Very moving interview on #ThisMorning glad you are over the worst and Bravo on helping to get the spotlight on this issue.”
Another said: “So heart warming seeing the love Mark Austin has for his daughter. Mental Health definitely needs more funding #ThisMorning.”
Mark concluded his interview by calling for better mental health care facilities, posing the question: “What is the point of giving someone suicidal an appointment in three weeks time?
We need to train hundreds more councillors,” said the former ITV New at Ten anchor.
This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 10:30am.
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