5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Michelle Heaton says Katie Price played a role in her alcohol abuse recovery
Michelle Heaton appeared on Good Morning Britain to talk about the journey that led her to now being four years sober, and thanked Katie Price for encouraging her to try rehab
Michelle Heaton has credited best pal Katie Price with helping her turn her life around, revealing it was the former glamour model's own battle with addiction that gave her the hope she desperately needed to get sober.
During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the Liberty X singer opened up about the dark depths of her alcohol addiction and how, four years on, she's finally thriving after hitting rock bottom.
Speaking to hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Michelle, 44, shared how isolated she became during the worst period of her drinking. "Listen, my family, my friends, just didn't want to talk to me anymore," she confessed.
But there was one person who didn't give up on her. Michelle shared: "There was just one particular day I remember. I was with Katie and she was great at the time. She had just had a bit of a stint in rehab herself. I recognised that maybe if she could do it, maybe I could.
"It took that recognition with somebody who had actually been in the system for me to realise that maybe I could do it too, because I honestly thought there was no hope."
The singer, who found fame in the early 2000s with hits like Just a Little, revealed how her drinking crept up on her over the years. She added: "The thing about alcohol: it's cunning and it's baffling and I didn't see the crossover. It wasn't something that just happened overnight, all of a sudden I was drinking that copious amounts of alcohol.
"It was something that was gradual. Alcohol was always my friend. It was there to give me confidence. I drank before I did a gig. It was all part of my career in Liberty X. But it wasn't something I was dependent on, until I was."
Michelle has had a remarkable road to recovery. In 2020, doctors warned her she was close to death as her liver was failing after years of excessive drinking. Now she is four years sober, and has completely transformed her life.
The mother-of-two is embracing a healthy lifestyle, working out regularly, and being mindful of what she eats. She previously told OK! Magazine: "My poor body has been through a lot. I have a new-found respect for it. I get my sleep and Hugh and I own a gym and work out together quite a bit."
She is also keen to show others that recovery is possible. "I'm living proof you can do it — even from rock bottom," Michelle said proudly.
Despite being four years sober, Michelle knows she can't take anything for granted. When she was asked if she's ever tempted to have a drink in December 2024, she insisted she's "over that" but remains vigilant. She added: "I'm under no illusion that the old demons could creep back in. That's waiting for me just around the corner if I don't stay on top of my recovery — for me, [that's following] the Twelve Step Fellowship. I say I'm 'in recovery', not 'recovered' for that very reason."
