By Jonathon Reilly 

A HOLLYWOOD star famous for appearing in the Saw franchise made a guest appearance on a Barrhead radio station to discuss recovery from the horrors of war.

Scott Patterson, who plays Luke Danes in TV series Gilmore Girls, spoke on Pulse 98.4’s Big Drive Home show to talk about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Scott is also a singer in the band SMITHRADIO whose latest single, Forgotten Hero, is about PTSD reports Barrhead News. 

The track addresses the struggle young men and women returning from military service face when trying to integrate back into civilian life.

A PTSD sufferer himself, Saw V actor Scott explained the reasoning behind the song when he chatted to host Peter Greenwood during a telephone interview.

The 58-year-old said: “I struggle every day to get my arms around this beast. There is no shame in seeking help. Forgotten Hero is for you.”

A post Scott shared on SMITHRADIO’s official Facebook account shed more light on the single’s meaning.

It read: “My song is about a specific person who did a specific job which caused his PTSD, but there are many others who experience some form of PTSD due to other traumatic experiences, including me.

“It has been a life-long struggle to say the least. I have great empathy and great compassion for all sufferers of PTSD, and I hope that this is conveyed in my art.

“We all need to talk about it. There should be no shame, only support.”

An estimated 20 per cent of the UK’s armed forces personnel are thought to suffer from the condition, from nurses and medical staff to those on the frontline.

PTSD can affect anyone in all walks of life.

The issue was drawn into the spotlight earlier this year when pop singer Lily Allen revealed she battled with PTSD following the stillbirth of her son.

Pulse 98.4 presenter Peter, who hosts the show from the station’s St Luke’s High base, said: “I have a military history in my family, so this song is important to me.

“I was a big fan of Scott before he came on the show. Now I know how much of a genuine, passionate musician he is.

“It’s something I wanted to do my best to spread the word about and promote.”

SMITHRADIO is donating a portion of sales from the song to a specialist PTSD charity.

Forgotten Hero is available from online music retailers including iTunes and Google Play.