Denise Welch: Alcohol ruined my life for 15 years

Amy Johnson
·Contributor
·3 min read
British actress Denise Welch poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the World premiere of the television series "The Crown - Series 3" in London on November 13, 2019. (Photo by Isabel Infantes / AFP) (Photo by ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images)
British actress Denise Welch poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the World premiere of the television series "The Crown - Series 3" in London on November 13, 2019. (Photo by Isabel Infantes / AFP) (Photo by ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images)

Denise Welch has said alcohol “ruined [her] life for 15 years” while sharing a message warning of the dangers of alcohol.

The Loose Women panellist, who has been sober since 2012, shared a tweet in which she described alcohol as “the most dangerous drug” due to the fact that is not illegal.

The 62-year-old posted: "Alcohol is the most dangerous drug because it’s legal. Violence is fuelled by it. In most domestic abuse incidents alcohol is a major contributor.

Read more: Andrea McLean ‘didn’t mean to’ publicly address breakdown

"It is a major cause of anxiety & depression and yet we celebrate it everywhere. It ruined my life for 15 yrs."

She followed up the message by thanking those who had reached out in the comments, and that a "similar thread" ran through most of the replies as others shared their experiences.

Back in April, the former Coronation Street actor celebrated eight years of sobriety and credited her husband Lincoln Townley with helping her to make the change in her life.

She said in a video: "Today, April 18th I am celebrating being 8 years sober and I just want to thank everybody who has supported me on this journey. If it wasn't for my husband Lincoln who got sober with me I don't know where I would be."

Welch and her artist husband went into their sobriety journey together as Townley's also credited her with helping him.

Lincoln Townley and Denise Welch attend the 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards presented by American Airlines and Jaguar Land Rover at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 25, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/BAFTA LA/Getty Images for BAFTA LA)
Lincoln Townley and Denise Welch attend the 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards presented by American Airlines and Jaguar Land Rover at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 25, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/BAFTA LA/Getty Images for BAFTA LA)

They have been married for almost seven years after tying the knot in July 2013. Welch was formerly married to actor Tim Healy with whom she shares two sons, The 1975 frontman Matty, 31, and 19-year-old Louis.

The mother-of-two is also open about her battles with depression, last year sharing videos chronicling a depressive episode.

Read more: Ruth Langsford almost quit TV career after sister’s death

She shared with her Twitter followers: "Trying to explain depression to those who are fortunate not to suffer is difficult, but it’s kind of like, it is what it says on the tin.

“Depression depresses every single emotion you have so that there’s a flatness and a void there. How I describe it is that the colour goes out of my life.”