Michael Douglas has claimed that Catherine Zeta-Jones broke down under the stress of his cancer battle because of her British stiff upper lip.
The actor said his wife’s Welsh background meant that she bottled everything up and was overcome with emotion when he was given the all-clear.
Whilst he just ‘got on with it’ Zeta-Jones remained stoic throughout and just stored up problems for herself later on.
Opening up: Michael Douglas spoke to Oprah in a candid interview about his cancer battle and how his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones struggled to cope with it
'I just got on with it': But Michael said Catherine bottled it all up before being overcome with emotion when he was given the all clear
The Swansea born actress was admitted to a U.S. rehabilitation clinic for five days earlier this month where she was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder brought on by the strain of Douglas’ battle with throat cancer.
Douglas, 66, was given the all-clear in January
But Zeta-Jones, who has two children, son Dylan, 10, and daughter Carys, eight, with Michael was still experiencing the effects of depression.
'Harrowing year': The actor speaks to Oprah about his wife, with a picture of Zeta-Jones shown on a screen in the background
Speaking on the Oprah Winfrey show Douglas agreed that his health problems had ‘exacerbated’ Zeta-Jones’ plight.
‘When you’ve got cancer you’ve got to take care of business. They tell you you have seven weeks of chemo, radiation, you kind of dive in and do it,’ he said.
‘I’m the kind of person when they’re sick, I just curl up, I don’t like a lot of fuss and no attention. I just like to get on with it. So I got on with it.
Stressed out: Catherine, pictured last week on location for her new movie Playing The Field in Louisiana, was treated for bipolar II at a clinic earlier this month
‘I think that part of Catherine’s whole background, she’s Welsh and the Welsh it’s all stiff upper lip, not let your feelings show.’
Douglas said that the last 18 months had been ‘harrowing’ and he had suffered a string of personal disasters that put pressure on his wife.
‘In my last year and a half my oldest son is in federal prison, my ex-wife is suing me, and I got cancer. It's kind of hard for the wife to say, 'I'm depressed,'.
He joked: 'You're depressed, huh? How about some cancer, you want to get depressed?'
‘That played a big part of it, she’s got to be stoic and deal with all the stuff I’m going through.
‘Probably the time I’m off the hook you finally relax.’
Douglas added that he was ‘so proud’ of his wife for seeking treatment for her condition.
In the clear: Michael and Catherine pose on the red carpet at the Golden Globes in Hollywood in January, shortly after Michael had been given the news that he had beaten throat cancer
‘She’s great now, she’s shooting a movie and she’s relived she has a much better understanding because this was not something where she was clearly aware of what was going on’.
Speaking in a slightly raspy voice, Douglas became emotional when talking about how cancer had changed his attitude to life.
He said that his priorities were completely different from years gone by when he was driven to succeed in his career at the expense of spending time with his family.
Asked he was asked if he was a different man having beaten cancer Douglas choked up - and tears were clearly visible in his eyes.
‘Wow. I think, I know..um...I know that I’m much much closer to my friends and family, I have a much deeper appreciation of family and friends,’ he said.
‘I was truly overwhelmed by the support.
'For somebody who has no formal religious education the amount of prayers and support I received worldwide truly did have an influence and a help.’
Douglas’ next project is to play flamboyant entertainer Liberace in a biopic alongside Matt Damon, who will play his younger lover.
Zeta-Jones is currently filming comedy Playing the Field in Louisiana.
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