A HEROIC ex-policeman who was assaulted in the line of duty has had his life turned around, thanks to ITV’s This Morning.

Russell Dean, a dad-of-two from Hockley, has been battling back from injuries after he hit a metal post when a man he was trying to arrest became violent.

ITV’s daytime show got involved after the 38-year-old’s sister contacted the shows psychologists, Nik and Eva Speakman​, who began to help Russell, formerly of the British Transport Police, overcome his fears.

Because of the incident, Russell broke his leg and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and even planned his own suicide in 2016.

He tore all his knee ligaments, broke his femur in eight places and suffered a three-inch break in his tibia.

Russell, who was previously fit and healthy, was told he would never run again.

Aged just 29, Russell was medically discharged from the police force, and a number of psychologists told him he’d never fully recover.

He became a recluse, trying to earn a living as a personal trainer, but rarely venturing out in public.

With the help of the celebrity psychologists, Russell made incredible progress, and conquered the worst of his PTSD.

In yesterday’s This Morning, Russell was interview by the pair to keep on top of his progress.

He said: “I was devastated to leave the force. I cried throughout my leaver’s interview. I lost everything, my career, partner, house and car.

“They gave me hope and showed me that my attacker was targeting the police uniform, not me, and that my enemies only existed in my head.

“I feel passionately about telling my story, because only by talking openly about mental health can we fight against the stigma.

“Sadly, there’s still the view that once you have a mental health problem that’s your label and you are stuck with it.

“But with the right help you can get better.”

Russell now works for Interserve, a Reading-based security firm, and revealed all in an interview with Liz Cummins, a director at Interserve.

He said: “I thought I was ruining my chances for promotion.

“The stigma around mental health almost made me feel ashamed about my problems, but Liz was absolutely superb and made me feel human without being patronising.

“Interserve provides opportunities to people who work hard because it is a brilliant company which is involved in such a wide variety of work and there are so many avenues to progress.

“My experiences with Interserve have shown me the importance of speaking out about how you feel, of seeking help, of being honest and above all of having hope in the idea that you can get better.”

Liz Cummins, sector director at Interserve, said: “I’m delighted Russell is progressing at Interserve.

“His story is an inspiration to all those who have barriers to overcome.”

Russell is now an account manager where he manages a £5m a year portfolio, and is responsible for 87 colleagues, 19 security contracts and 27 sites.