A former reality TV show contestant evicted from a Big Brother-style show has committed suicide in France because he could not handle life outside the spotlight.

Francois-Xavier Leuridan, 22, was reportedly depressed and had spent the last two years of his life trying to “cope with no longer being famous” after getting voted out of Secret Story in 2009.

Secret Story is the French equivalent of hit reality series Big Brother, where contestants are to live together in a house for a certain period of time under a constant scrutiny of cameras and with no interaction with the outside world.

They are voted out by viewers on the basis of their popularity and behaviour in the house.

Fellow housemate Martin Medus, who was on Secret Story with Leuridan, says he did not receive any post-show psychological help.

"He lived for fame and spent two years after the show failing to accept that he was no longer a celebrity," he was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying.

"They say you'll be looked after by a psychiatrist before and after your time in the house.

"But in fact I just received a letter three months after the series ended saying, "If you're unhappy, call this number"."

Another Cindy Lopes said: "Fame is poisonous. One day it all disappears and you're alone. Even your close friends don't look at you in the same way."

But commissioning editor for France's TF1 Television, Angela Lorente, denied Leuridan's death was related to his time reality show.

She said: "We are thinking of his family. These were personal circumstances that had nothing to do with television. It would be wrong to mix up the two."

Leuridan had released a pop single and launched a clothing line but still suffered depression, according to reports.