‘I was told my dreams of making it in film were symptoms of bipolar - now they're coming true'

When 19-year-old Jack Nolan was sectioned after suffering with delusions and psychosis, he was told to put his dreams of being a writer and actor on hold.

Then at university, studying film and television, he was told by doctors that his ambitions of making it were just another example of grandiose behaviour, associated with his bipolar condition.

Six years on, now aged 25, and Jack has written two books - On The Job and Dead Ends - about Manchester's criminal underworld - and has just filmed a pilot based on one of them.

READ MORE: Mum dropped kids at their grandmother's house in her Audi while over the limit from boozy night out with pal

“When I was in hospital, I dreamed about all of this,” Jack, from Oldham, told the M.E.N.

“I was told I was delusional by doctors and I understand why they said it because I had such a big vision for myself that they couldn’t see it for me at that time.

“But I held strong and kept telling myself that I would make it happen - no matter what.”

Jack's condition was characterised by racing thoughts and voices, and obsessive behaviour, like hiding his passport and important documents inside the back of picture frames out of fear that someone would steal them.

But, after being hospitalised following two manic episodes, Jack clung to his ambitions - and used the time to make them a reality.

Altogether, Jack spent almost two months as an in-patient after being sectioned. During that time, he wrote his aspirations on the ward whiteboards.

Having worked as an actor for a few years by that stage, Jack was determined to progress in the UK film industry.

"During my breakdown, my mum checked my phone to find that I had called, emailed and texted different creative companies about trying to get