28 November 2023 , 08:00
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He's best known for his presenting work and well-loved column, but there's plenty you may not know about Adrian Chiles' life away from the spotlight, including his candid booze admission and frightening diagnosis.
The 56-year-old has spoken candidly over the years about his various personal woes and he has even used his shifting relationship with drinking to educate others.
Birmingham-born Adrian has also previously opened up about life following his diagnosis with a 'heart-stoppingly, nerve-shreddingly difficult condition' in his 50s, with his long and often difficult journey for answers resonating with so many people who may be currently struggling with similar issues.
Adrian has spoken candidly about his personal woes (Stuart Wallace/REX/Shutterstock for Edinburgh TV Festival)Heavy drinking battle
Adrian was in for a life-changing shock after looking into his drinking habits for his 2018 BBC documentary Drinkers Like Me. Having not previously realised he had a problem, Adrian was stunned to learn he was drinking as much as 100 units of alcohol a week, and showed signs of liver damage.
Determined to turn things around and lead a longer, healthier life, Adrian now drinks in moderation, detailing his progress in his 2022 book The Good Drinker. Offering advice to others in the same boat, Adrian advised: "If you’re a heavy drinker, even if you're experiencing (as I did) no noticeable ill effects, think about moderating while you can. Because there's a fair chance that one day, if you don't, moderation won't be an option. It will all be too late; you'll just have to do without. For the love of drinking itself, it's worth considering."
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He continued: "I've since come to realise that, for me, drinking has long been nothing less than a way of life. First and foremost, alcohol is so woven into the fabric of my life, in all sorts of different ways, that it would take a great deal of unpicking. I wish it wasn't so, but there you are.
"One Lent, during which I wasn't drinking, a friend of mine got married. I knew there would be lots of nice people at the wedding but, I'm ashamed to say, I wasn't much looking forward to it because, for me, there wouldn't be any drink involved. As it turned out, I had a really good time, but it became startlingly clear how reliant I was on alcohol."
Nowadays, Adrian drinks around 20 to 30 units of alcohol a week. Although this is higher than the recommended 14, it still marks a significant improvement from his old habits.
'Relief' after difficult diagnosis
Adrian was diagnosed with ADHD in his 50s, and has previously spoken of the 'relief' he felt after finally getting the treatment he needed after years of struggling. In a heartfelt piece penned for The Guardian, Adrian hit out at those who argue that ADHD diagnoses are a con, following the BBC Panorama investigation into private practices.
Opening up about his own personal experiences, Adrian wrote: "I have been rather successful in my line of work, so I can hardly say it held me back. What I can say is that for an awfully long time I found my life heart-stoppingly, nerve-shreddingly difficult, as I veered wildly between the thrill of it all, and the crippling anxiety and depression.
"More than anything else, it was simply unsustainably exhausting and, I came to realise, potentially life-shortening." He continued: "For a long time I thought this all came with the territory. But my diagnosis showed me it didn't have to. Once I knew what had been going on between my ears for all my life, with the help of therapy and some medication, I was equipped to make changes that slowly improved everything."