‘Loose Women’ star Nadia Sawalha and her husband Mark Adderly have opened up about his alcohol addiction in a candid YouTube video.
The pair spoke honestly about his struggle to overcome his alcoholism, admitting the Christmas period can often be difficult.
Interviewed by Nadia’s close friend and ‘Loose Women’ co-host Kaye Adams, Mark described his 12 years of sobriety as “a huge effort”.
Open Image Modal
Nadia Sawalha with her husband Mark Adderley
YouTube
“Every day is a struggle,” he said. “Everyday is a huge effort, to not get up literally, but a huge effort to tackle the day. The whole day is to be attacked, to be grappled with, it’s to be fought.
“It is exhausting. I always say to Nadia and the girls, ‘Look you’re all finding me irritating now, you can all walk through that door and leave me, I can’t, I have to stay in the same bloody room as me.”’
Mark spent time in rehab after he was banned from driving for 28 months back in 2003, having been caught under the influence.
“I couldn’t admit I was an alcoholic for three days, I just said, “My name is Mark and I drink too much,” he said.
“The most important thing they used to say in the Priory you need to need to do it for yourself, you’re not getting sober for your wife, you’re not getting sober for your children, and I’ve said this many times, I differ from that, it’s bullshit.
“There’s no better reason to get sober for your wife, your children, your family, because I struggle to do it for myself because I think I could cope, I could carry on.”
Open Image Modal
Nadia and Mark were interviewed by her pal Kaye Adams
Neil Mockford via Getty Images
Mark also admitted he still feels guilty about he fact he couldn’t enjoy his eldest daughter Maddy’s early years.
“I wish that Maddy hadn’t had been a babe in arms for the first two years when I was really chaotic and all over the place, as I didn’t enjoy the first few years of Maddy and I know it was really difficult for Nadia,” he said.
Watch Mark and Nadia’s full interview in the video above.
12 Stars You'd Forgotten Were 'Loose Women'
Karren Brady(01 of12)
Open Image Modal
Long before she was answering to Lord Sugar, The Apprentice star Karren was letting loose on the ITV daytime show.
She was one of the original line-up of ladies, appearing on the first episode in 1999.
And while her stint was short-lived, ending just a year later, Karren returned to the panel for an anniversary special in 2017, along with the rest of the women who appeared on that very first show. (credit:REX)
Kerry Katona(02 of12)
Open Image Modal
Back when she was Kerry McFadden (those were the days, eh?), the Atomic Kitten singer appeared as a panelist between 2003 and 2004.
She was only 23 when she joined the show, making her the youngest Loose Woman regular ever, and her sometimes naive outlook on life meant she often clashed with Sherrie Hewson, providing many hilarious moments. (credit:REX)
Nina Wadia(03 of12)
Open Image Modal
She's best known for playing the opinionated Zainab Masood in EastEnders, but Nina offered up plenty of opinions of her own when she appeared as a series regular between 2005 and 2006. (credit:REX)
Gillian Taylforth(04 of12)
Open Image Modal
Another EastEnder who graced the Loose Women panel was Gillian Taylforth – better known as Walford's Kathy Beale.
The actress enjoyed two stints as a Loose lady, first in 2006 and again in 2008. (credit:REX)
Cilla Black(05 of12)
Open Image Modal
While the late Cilla will be remembered for her huge TV hits Blind Date and Surprise Surprise, her last regular TV gig was actually as a Loose Woman.
She appeared first as a guest anchor in 2009 and was invited back as a regular panelist between 2010 and 2011, returning for a final appearance in 2014. (credit:REX)
Sarah Millican(06 of12)
Open Image Modal
In our humble opinion, Sarah's tenure as a Loose Woman was simply not long enough.
The comic only appeared as a panelist for less than a year in 2011, before leaving to concentrate on her stand-up career. (credit:REX)
Beverley Callard(07 of12)
Open Image Modal
During one of her many breaks from Coronation Street, Beverley (aka Liz McDonald) took up a seat behind the famous desk in 2010. (credit:REX)
Kym Marsh(08 of12)
Open Image Modal
While Kym has recently enjoyed a few turns as a guest panellist, many have forgotten her original stint as a regular on the show in 2005, back when she sported an interesting (if that's the right word?) set of hair extensions. (credit:REX)
Claire Sweeney(09 of12)
Open Image Modal
The former Brookside actress enjoyed over two years on the panel back in 2003, and later returned for six episodes in 2010, and a further two in 2012. (credit:REX)
Sheree Murphy(10 of12)
Open Image Modal
Sheree was a welcome addition to the panel in 2006, after she finished playing Emmerdale's much-loved Tricia Dingle. While she left in 2007, she later returned as a guest panellist for an episode in 2015. (credit:REX)
Claire Richards(11 of12)
Open Image Modal
After the departure of many of Loose Women's biggest names in 2013 and 2014, Steps singer Claire made a string of guest appearances. She impressed bosses so much, she was soon promoted to a regular.
However, a massive revamp of the show in the September of 2014 saw her leave the show with no explanation. (credit:REX)
Jenny Powell(12 of12)
Open Image Modal
The Wheel Of Fortune assistant was finally given a break from turning around letters on a board in 2004, when she joined the Loose Women panel for a year. (credit:ITV)