Famous People With ADHD: Celebrities Who Have Spoken Openly

Reviewed by the Cardinal Clinic team. Last reviewed: 27 June 2026.

Plenty of well-known and highly successful people have ADHD, and many of them have spoken about it openly. Olympic champions, chart-topping musicians, award-winning actors and household-name presenters have all described living and working with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. When public figures talk honestly about their diagnosis, it chips away at the stigma and helps other people feel able to seek an assessment of their own.

The list below only includes people who have personally and publicly confirmed their own ADHD diagnosis, in their own words, through interviews, memoirs, documentaries or their own social media. We have left out anyone whose ADHD is only rumoured or speculated about, because ADHD is a clinical diagnosis and it is not something anyone should have attached to them second hand.

Athletes with ADHD

Simone Biles

The most decorated gymnast in history has been open about her ADHD. After her medical records were leaked by hackers in 2016, Biles addressed it directly on social media, writing that having ADHD and taking medicine for it is "nothing to be ashamed of." She has said she has had the condition and taken medication for it since she was a child.

Michael Phelps

The most decorated Olympian of all time was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of nine. Phelps has spoken in many interviews about being told as a child that he would never amount to anything, and about how structure and swimming helped him manage his focus and energy. He has since become a vocal advocate for mental health.

Terry Bradshaw

The Super Bowl-winning American football quarterback and broadcaster has written and spoken about living with ADHD since childhood, including in his memoir. He has described how it made school and reading a struggle and how he has continued to manage it through his life.

Musicians with ADHD

Adam Levine

The Maroon 5 frontman was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager and later realised, as an adult, that he still had it when he found it hard to focus in the studio. He wrote an essay about accepting his diagnosis and took part in an awareness campaign, with a clear message that ADHD is not a bad thing and that no one with it is alone.

will.i.am

The Black Eyed Peas musician and producer told the Sunday Mirror, "I have ADHD, I'll admit it." He has described having a lot going on in his head at once and not finding it easy to slow down, but said he has learned to channel those traits into his creative work in the studio.

Solange Knowles

The singer and songwriter spoke about her ADHD in a 2014 interview, explaining that she was diagnosed twice and did not believe it at first. She described being full of restless energy and how the diagnosis eventually helped things make sense.

Lily Allen

The British singer-songwriter was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and has discussed it openly on her podcast, including how it connects with her wider mental health. Her candour has been part of a wider conversation about how often ADHD is missed in women until later in life.

Loyle Carner

The South London rapper has spoken warmly about his ADHD, telling NME that "all the best things about me come from ADHD." He found that cooking calmed him as a child and went on to set up a cookery school for young people with ADHD, focusing on what they are good at rather than what they have been told they cannot do.

Shaun Ryder

The Happy Mondays frontman was diagnosed with ADHD in his fifties. He has spoken openly about how undiagnosed ADHD shaped much of his earlier life, and has reflected on neurodiversity and how it brought his band together.

Actors and screen stars with ADHD

Channing Tatum

The actor has talked about being diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as a child and finding school difficult before he was supported. He has spoken about feeling out of place in an education system that was not built for how he learned, and about wanting that system to do better for children who struggle in the same way.

Paris Hilton

The media personality and businesswoman has said she was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and writes about it in her memoir. She is now an outspoken advocate who describes neurodivergence as a strength rather than something that holds her back.

Olivia Attwood

The British television personality was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and has become a clear voice on how differently the condition can show up in women. She has spoken on her podcast about being labelled a daydreamer at school, long before anyone connected it to ADHD.

Presenters and comedians with ADHD

Johnny Vegas

The comedian and actor revealed his ADHD diagnosis on BBC Breakfast in 2023, in his early fifties, saying it answered a lot of questions about things he had experienced through his life.

Sue Perkins

The presenter and writer shared her ADHD diagnosis publicly in 2023, telling her followers that once she had the diagnosis, everything suddenly made sense, both to her and to the people close to her.

Rory Bremner

The impressionist and comedian explored his own ADHD in the BBC Horizon documentary ADHD and Me, going through the assessment process on camera and trying medication for the first time. The film follows him as he learns about the condition and what it means for him day to day.

What about Emma Watson?

One of the most common ADHD-related searches is whether Emma Watson has the condition. It is worth being clear here. Despite the claim appearing on a number of websites, we could not find any interview or statement in which Emma Watson herself has confirmed an ADHD diagnosis. The idea seems to trace back to a single social media post by a charity rather than anything she has said. Because ADHD is a clinical diagnosis, we have not included her on this list. It is a useful reminder that not everything written about a public figure's health is something they have actually confirmed.

Does this list tell you anything about your own ADHD?

These stories are encouraging, but they cannot tell you whether you have ADHD. Relating to what a celebrity describes is not the same as a diagnosis, and many of the traits people associate with ADHD, such as restlessness, distraction or difficulty finishing tasks, can have other explanations too. The only way to know is a proper assessment.

Cardinal Clinic is a private psychiatric hospital in Windsor, Berkshire. We are consultant psychiatrist-led, and our adult ADHD assessments are carried out by consultant psychiatrists. If you have read about ADHD and recognised yourself, an assessment is a clear, calm way to find out what is going on and what might help. You can refer yourself or get in touch to talk it through first.

Frequently asked questions

Can you be successful with ADHD?

Yes. As the people above show, many highly accomplished athletes, musicians, actors and presenters have ADHD. A diagnosis does not put a ceiling on what someone can achieve, and with the right understanding and support many people manage their ADHD well and build careers they are proud of.

Is ADHD more common than people think?

ADHD is one of the more common conditions seen in mental health services. The NHS notes that it is often first recognised in childhood but is increasingly diagnosed in adults, and many people reach adulthood without ever being assessed. Greater awareness, helped in part by public figures speaking openly, means more adults are now seeking an assessment.

Do these celebrities prove anything about diagnosis?

No. Their openness helps reduce stigma and encourages people to seek help, but a celebrity having ADHD does not tell you whether you have it. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis made by a qualified clinician after a structured assessment, not something you can confirm by comparing yourself to someone famous.

Where can I get an ADHD assessment?

You can be assessed through the NHS or privately. At Cardinal Clinic, adult ADHD assessments are carried out by consultant psychiatrists at our hospital in Windsor, Berkshire, and you can refer yourself without needing to be on an NHS waiting list first. Visit our ADHD assessment page or contact us to find out more.