Michelle Heaton 'woke up and bought vodka' instead of school-run in booze hell

26 September 2023 , 19:30

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Michelle Heaton (Image: Channel 4)

Michelle Heaton is one of the brave stars taking part in the hugely anticipated new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Alongside disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, TOWIE'S James Argent, ex-footballer Jermaine Pennant and reality star Danielle Lloyd she will be pushed to her limits on Channel 4 tonight.

But this is not the first intense battle former Liberty X singer has faced after she bravely overcome alcoholism two years ago and shared her incredibly frank admissions about her time drinking and the devastating impact it had on both her health and her family. The singer revealed that during the height of her battle with alcoholism, she would wake up in the mornings and head straight to the local off-license of supermarket to buy vodka instead of taking her kids to school.

The 44-year-old, who shares children, Faith, and Aaron, with husband Hugh Hanley had only one thing on her brain when she woke from her slumber every morning - and that was downing as much booze as she could. It got to the stage where Michelle's helpless husband feared she would end up dead if he didn't stand by her as she battled her crippling alcohol addiction.

Michelle posted pictures to her social media of the moment she collapsed (@wonderwomanshel/Instagram)

Hugh knew that if he made the gut-wrenching decision to leave Michelle after 11 years of marriage, their kids would suffer unbearable consequences as they risked losing their mother for good. Although Michelle had been drinking heavily for a number of years, at the end of 2019 and all throughout 2020, the star hit rock bottom amid her battle.

During that time, the singer would regularly down two bottles of wine and a bottle of vodka in less than 24 hours. Opening up about the dark time in her life, Michelle shared: "I would always promise myself this was the last time I was going to drink or use cocaine. But I’d wake up with the fear of it not being there and have to buy more vodka. I’d manipulate friends into picking up the kids from school. I was selfish. I was exhausted. I didn’t want to lie, but I had to because I needed alcohol. It was relentless," she told The Sun.

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Michelle's addiction left her husband feeling completely hopeless, but he never gave up for the sake of heir children. Hugh was riddled with crippling concern that if he were to leave his wife, then Faith and Aaron would be left without a mum because he knew she 'wouldn't last long' without him by her side.

Michelle Heaton with her husband, Hugh Hanley (hughhanley/Instagram)

Michelle is now healthier and happier than ever (Phil Lewis/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock)

Michelle's soul-destroying battle with addiction came to a head after a massive bender in December 2020. The former Liberty X singer ended up in hospital on a drip after drinking herself into oblivion. During the 'bleak' couple of weeks, Michelle admitted that she was 'willing to die' because she couldn't see a way out.

“That whole New Year period I see as one dark day of nothing but being willing to die because I didn’t know how I was going to live. I couldn’t see any way out," she explained. Thankfully, a couple of weeks later, after an intervention by Hugh, her close friends and her manager, Michelle finally realised that she needed help - and as soon as possible.

She checked into rehab centre The Priory for almost a month, and essentially turned her life around after seeking treatment. "I was going to die if I didn’t get help," she insisted. Michelle is now happier and healthier than ever and is determined to stay the course in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is on Channel 4 at 9:30pm tonight.

Susan Knox