Entertainment
Darren Day suffered with secret crack cocaine addiction before being saved by Robbie Williams: ‘I’m either heaven or hell’
Darren Day turned to cocaine for a week in lockdown last year (Picture: Getty Images)
Darren Day has revealed he secretly battled a crack cocaine addiction before being saved by best friend Robbie Williams years later.
The former Celebrity Big Brother star has opened up about his personal struggles after embarking on a week-long cocaine binge during lockdown in May 2020.
It was sparked by Darren’s company going into liquidation due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning he hadn’t earned any money in three months.
However, it wasn’t the first time the West End star had turned to drugs as he had battled with another substance abuse issue in the past.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Darren explained: ‘I was a crackhead from 2001 to 2005. And crack makes you an instant junkie. I was smoking it, not snorting it. Actual crack rocks. Smoking it on a little pipe. It’s ridiculously intense.
‘Thank God I never went down the route of heroin but, without a doubt, crack cocaine was the worst time. It is so addictive that you do so much of it and the money just disappears.’
Last year when the Covid crisis hit, Darren was confronted with his demons again when he hadn’t earned an income between February and May. He was also just four days away from starting rehearsals from Footloose when the theatres closed, robbing him of another source of income.
The TV star said he was a ‘crackhead’ for four years (Picture: Getty Images)
Robbie paid for his friend to go to rehab in South Africa (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I was so stressed,’ Darren recalled, adding that he wasn’t entitled to furlough or Universal Credit.
The 53-year-old’s mental health then took a downward spiral as he had ‘a few lines’ one night.
However, he ‘lost a week of [his] life when he proceeded to do around 20 to 30 grammes of cocaine.
Darren realised he needed help and reached out to his close pal, Take That star Robbie, who ‘wasn’t disappointed’ that his friend had relapsed.
‘He’s never been disappointed. He’s just incredible,’ Darren said, adding that Robbie paid for him to enter a rehab facility.
More: Drugs
Describing himself as ‘either heaven or hell, Jesus or Satan, good or evil’, Darren revealed that he also had an addiction to painkillers and codeine.
Throughout the ordeal, Darren had the support of his sixth fiancee, Sophie Ladds, who he proposed to in August 2020.
Worried about drugs?
Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
Adfam has local groups for families affected by drugs and alcohol and DrugFam offers phone and email support to people affected by other people’s drug or alcohol misuse.
