Simon Pegg has reflected on the peak of his alcoholism, saying that he “feels sick” when he looks back on “the worst times”.
The actor, 52, has had depression since the age of 18. In his late thirties – when he worked on films including Mission: Impossible III and Hot Fuzz – he developed an addiction to alcohol.
He is now sober after being treated at the Priory, attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and undergoing therapy.
Speaking about his struggles with alcohol addiction in a new interview, Pegg said: “I became addicted to the sensation of being numb, rather than the chemical addiction.”
When asked if he drank at breakfast, he told The Times: “Sometimes. In the worst times… I look back now and it makes me feel sick.”
While his long-time collaborator Nick Frost and his wife Maureen raised concerns with him about his drinking, he said “it’s not as easy as stopping… so I just sort of threw myself off a cliff”.
Pegg said he did eventually stop drinking after he lost his way following Comic Con in San Diego in 2010.
The actor can next be seen in cyber thriller The Undeclared War on Channel 4. He stars as Danny, head of operations at GCHQ, alongside Mark Rylance, Adrian Lester and Alex Jennings.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.
