Delta Burke's journey through fame was fraught with formidable challenges.
On a recent podcast, Delta Burke disclosed her struggles with mental health and addiction during her tenure on the popular show "Designing Women."
According to Daily Mail, Burke, who gained fame as a former beauty queen in the series, described how the show's demanding conditions deteriorated her well-being. The relentless focus on her physical appearance catalyzed her descent into substance abuse, particularly crystal meth, as she tried to cope with the pressure.
In a candid interview on Chelsea Devantez’s podcast, "Glamorous Trash," Delta Burke shared harrowing details of her experience on "Designing Women." She felt overworked and underappreciated, "treated like a slave," which deeply impacted her mental health.
Her plight worsened following a controversial 1990 interview with Barbara Walters, where she voiced her grievances about the show. This led to tensions with the show's producers, culminating in her exit in 1991.
Co-stars and producers attributed Burke’s altered behavior to her relationship with actor Gerald McRaney. Despite the external negativity, her relationship with McRaney remains a foundational support system, contrasting starkly with her earlier unstable environment.
Delta expressed, "I love my life truly for the first time. And I love him desperately. I know that I'm safe and I'm loved."
Burke’s sentiment toward Hollywood is cautionary. She advises others about the potential mental health pitfalls of the industry. "Hollywood will mess your head up," she declares, reflecting on the stark reality behind her glamorous public persona.
Despite receiving two Emmy nominations for the series, the actress endured significant tribulations. Burke's heartfelt disclosures reveal the lesser-discussed adversities faced by those in the limelight.
According to Delta Burke:
I thought I was stronger. I tried very hard to defend myself against lies and all the ugliness that was there and I wasn't gonna win. I'm just an actress, you know. I don't have any power. I remember on the set, when it got to be really bad, and I wasn't handling it well with a smiling face, my whole body language changed. I would kind of hunch over.., I just tried to disappear. Drugs came next. They were like medicine to me.
Her struggle with drugs, as she described, was an attempt to medicate the pain and pressure she navigated daily—an unfortunate common narrative among celebrities wrestling with the pressures of fame.
In the years following her departure from "Designing Women," Delta Burke appeared on various television shows and in movies. Despite the outward normalization of her career, the scars from her earlier experiences seemingly lingered.
Delta Burke's story is a sober reminder of the personal sacrifices often obscured by the bright lights of stardom. Her present contentment with life and love stands in stark relief against her past battles, underscoring her resilience.
