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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Susanna Reid reveals crippling 'hangxiety' motivated her to go alcohol free

Susanna Reid has revealed that "hangxiety" and concerns about her skin motivated her to become “alcohol free.”

The Good Morning Britain presenter has been tee-total since 2018 and spoke about the health benefits she has seen since giving up booze which have included weight loss, better mental health and skin.

Appearing on Thursday’s Lorraine, the 53-year-old said that while she still “enjoys a few bubbles” on very special occasions, she is “99.9 per cent alcohol free.”

During her chat, Lorraine Kelly complimented Reid and said: “You are glowing.”

To which she replied: “Thank you, Lots of people are doing dry Jan and you need a proper motivation to stick to it. People think, ‘why not?’ You need a ‘why’ to do it.

“My why was I kept getting breakouts on my skin and my doctor said it’s because alcohol dilates your blood vessels, and you get a blood rush to the skin. I was prone to spots, break outs, rosacea. I thought I don’t just want one.

Reid went alcohol-free in 2018 (Instagram/Susanna Reid)

"When you’re getting up so early in the morning you really need a clear head. I just found even if I had a drink at the weekend, it was taking longer to flush it through my body, and I just didn’t like that feeling of ‘hangxiety’. That slightly tense feeling.

Adding: "It had quite a dramatic effect on my weight, and I lost quite a lot. Of course, you then substitute other things in! White wine is known as liquid cake, it’s just so many calories.

"I just think do it for a month and see the effects it has on your skin and health. If someone is celebrating, I will still raise a glass, at Christmas I will still have bubbles. 99.9% of the time I am alcohol free."

In 2019, the ITV star spoke to the Daily Mail about the negative effect being sober had on her love life.

She reflected at the time: "Someone - he’ll be anonymous - and I were setting up arrangements for a date.

"I thought it might be good manners to mention the fact I don’t drink, because most people do like to drink on a date.

"And, just like that, he stopped making arrangements. It just ceased to be. A lot of people just think you’ll be no fun on a night out.

"I don’t care. I’m just grateful I don’t have to worry about waking up with a sore head."

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