Simon Pegg, 56, Reveals ADHD Diagnosis After Years of Doubt

Actor Simon Pegg, 56, says he has been diagnosed with ADHD, telling a podcast released Thursday that the diagnosis "confirmed a lot of stuff that I'd been wrestling with," according to BBC News.

The star of "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," "The World's End" and the "Mission: Impossible" franchise made the disclosure on the podcast "I'm ADHD! No You're Not," BBC culture reporter Emma Saunders reported. Pegg had previously attributed his symptoms to "just character fault," he said on the show.

What did Pegg say about getting diagnosed?

Pegg described a drawn-out process before he received confirmation. "There was a lot of build-up and suspicion, and it just took a while actually to get there," he said, according to the BBC. He said he ultimately sought the diagnosis because he "just wanted to know."

He said he had long sensed something was different about him but could not name it. "I did feel different in a way I might not be able to put my finger on. Maybe everybody feels that way," Pegg said. He added that he had assumed ADHD applied only to disruptive children: "I just assumed ADHD kids were kind of chaotic and difficult and didn't pay attention in school. But there were other things that I did do as a kid — fidget or whatever — that made me think, 'Oh no, maybe I've had this longer than I thought.'"

How does the diagnosis connect to his depression and drinking?

Pegg also discussed clinical depression and past struggles controlling his drinking on the podcast, saying he initially believed those issues had caused his ADHD symptoms rather than the reverse. "I felt like it was something that had come on in later life because I wasn't a naughty child," he said. "I've had bouts of depression in my adult life since 18 and I thought maybe it had come on with that."

He said years of treatment may have addressed symptoms without reaching the underlying cause: "Maybe over the years with therapy and medication — whatever — I've been treating the symptoms and not the cause of why I feel that way."

What role did his driving play in seeking an assessment?

Pegg, who has had several speeding convictions, told LBC last year that he suspected undiagnosed ADHD explained his poor concentration behind the wheel, the BBC noted. He said reversing into a post while on holiday in Greece prompted him to research the condition. "I looked up on the phone 'Do people with ADHD get into more car accidents than people who don't have it' and the answer was yes," he said. "And it's because of a lack of focus and ability to kind of totally focus. And that was the final straw that broke my ADHD camel's back. I need to speak to a psychiatrist and find out for sure if I have this thing."

How has his family responded?

Pegg said his wife has accepted the diagnosis without treating it as a turning point. "She's dealing with it as if I'd been diagnosed ages ago," he said. "It's just who I am, and it's just things that I do. She makes allowances for forgetfulness and lack of concentration."

Who else has discussed adult ADHD publicly?

The BBC's report placed Pegg's disclosure alongside other UK entertainment figures who have described adult ADHD diagnoses, including comedian and actor Johnny Vegas, comic and presenter Sue Perkins, and presenters Ant McPartlin and Richard Bacon. The BBC has separately reported on rising workplace attention to ADHD among adults.

By the numbers

• 56 — Pegg's age at the time of the disclosure, per the BBC.
• 18 — the age at which Pegg said he began experiencing bouts of depression, which he initially suspected was linked to his undiagnosed condition.

ADHD diagnoses center on three core symptom areas — inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity — along with concentration difficulties, the BBC noted, adding that genetics play a significant role and that a formal diagnosis requires symptoms that measurably affect daily functioning, not merely traits many people recognize in themselves.

Pegg did not disclose further details about his treatment plan in the podcast excerpt reported by the BBC.

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