Tony Adams has candidly opened up about his mental breakdown six years ago and staying sober for the last 26 years.
The former England footballer, 55, will be taking part in this year's Strictly, saying that dancing was "good for the mind" and that he thought he should "go for it".
Speaking to the Mirror and other publications, he said that he hoped to bring some mental health and addiction awareness.
Opening up about why he had decided to take part in the BBC show, he said: "I'm 26 years without drink and drugs, to bring some mental health and addiction awareness around life and what I do today - I run a business and a couple of charities.
"I helped a thousand athletes in 2019 and dance is part of the process, we use dance therapy at the rehab and it's good for the mind and I thought I'd go for it."
Continuing to speak about his breakdown six years ago, he said: "I had a mental breakdown when I was 49, I was working too hard - my new addiction was working too hard, I had stress and I had a heart condition. I was like, 'well that's it, I'll take things a bit easier - after Strictly!'
"You can do anything when you're free of drink and drugs - I've been without drink or drugs for 26 years. You can do anything when you're free of addiction - that's it! That's the message! Now will make myself look like an absolute idiot!"
He previously spoke about his breakdown in 2017, during which he recalled his boozy, prostitute-laden benders in the late 1980s and 90s, he told The Sunday Times at the time: “I used to smash bottles on my head, form of self-abuse. Self-destruction button. Didn’t like myself, big nose, big ears, gangly, fear, insecurity.”
*Strictly airs Friday and Saturday on BBC One
