Yahoo News Darren Day reveals he went cold turkey from drink and drugs on I'm a Celebrity
It's been 21 years since the theatre star entered the jungle.
Watch Darren Day talk about going cold turkey from drink and drugs in I'm A Celeb
What did you miss?
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! original Darren Day has revealed for the first time that he went "cold turkey" from cocaine and alcohol while appearing on the show.
The star has been free from both booze and cocaine since 2019.
Good Morning Britain welcomed the star alongside fellow I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! co-star Christine Hamilton on Monday, 21 years after their stint in the jungle.
What, how and why?
'I was in the jungle for 2 weeks and I went straight back into active addiction... I owe my life to Robbie Williams'
Darren Day opens up about his battle with addiction. pic.twitter.com/GFXVPObaEY— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 20, 2023
As members of the Class of 2002, they lived off rice and beans alongside Uri Geller, Nell McAndrew and eventual winner Tony Blackburn.
But for West End actor Day, this testing stint in the jungle forced him to battle much worse demons than hunger.
"I will level with you and I have never said this publicly before: I literally went cold turkey in front of the whole country," he told presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, while confirming that his addictions were to alcohol and cocaine at the time.
Madeley asked: "Drink, drugs or both?"
To which Day said: "Both - cocaine, the demon powder, and the demon drink. I literally went cold turkey in front of the whole country. I was smashed when I got on the plane to Australia."
He added: "I didn't tell anybody [about going cold turkey]. I've not even really told that many people in my life."
Then he stared down the camera lens and said: "Mum! Mum! Sorry! Sorry! Well, now you know at least..."
Day was the third eliminated star from that maiden series, and went on to admit he's still "so ashamed" of his on-screen antics.
He added: "My behaviour was so erratic. It's been a massive regret and I've carried it around like a weight on my shoulders. I was just an idiot and I'm not surprised people didn't like me."
Madeley, who himself tasted the I'm a Celebrity experience in its Gwrych Castle setting, then questioned their guest on whether he had managed to stay clean upon leaving Australia.
"I went straight back into active addiction," revealed Day.
Following his revelations, co-host Reid made sure to offer Day some kind words of support.
She told him: "There is no shame about addiction. To remain sober and off drugs for as long as you have is no mean feat."
What else happened on Good Morning Britain?
Elsewhere in this interview section of the show, media personality Hamilton recounted an unaired revolt that went down during the 2002 series - inspired by late campmate Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's cigarette allowance.
"They gave her [nicotine] patches, that didn't calm her shakes," she said, "they gave her cigarettes and we had a riot - we went to the middle of the camp. It was me, Nell and Rhona [Cameron] and we stood there shouting at everybody who would listen. It wasn't on air.
"'If she's getting cigarettes, I want my wine!' and Nell said, 'I want my chocolates!' and we got them."
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! airs on ITV and ITVX.
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