'I was addicted to porn while training for the Olympics'
Former Olympic diver Freddie Woodward shares his personal struggle with pornography addiction that began during his childhood. He is now advocating for better, evidence-led education regarding the impact of online pornography on young people.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing public health conversation surrounding digital addiction and the responsibility of tech companies to implement safety measures for minors.
Image caption, Freddie Woodward said he sometimes watched online porn multiple times a day
A former Team GB diver said he was left feeling "dirty" after he became hooked on online pornography as a child.
Freddie Woodward, who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, said at the height of his addiction he sometimes visited adult websites multiple times a day.
Today, the 30-year-old, from Sheffield, is calling for better education around porn addiction - which is not "shame-based, but honest and evidence-led". He said he hoped speaking out would encourage others to seek help.
In June, the government said tech companies like Apple and Google must install software to prevent children from taking, sending or viewing sexually explicit images on their phones and other devices.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in