Celebrity Traitors star Julie Hesmondhalgh has revealed that her niece's cancer diagnosis prompted her to give up alcohol eight years ago. The 56-year-old actress, known for playing Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street from 1998 until 2014, opened up about the pivotal moment in her life.
A Life-Changing Diagnosis
Hesmondhalgh, who also appeared in ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office, said her niece was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018. Although her family member recovered, the experience forced her to reconsider her relationship with alcohol.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, she said: "I absolutely think that there have been times in my life where I was borderline alcoholic. It's hard when you've grown up in the Eighties and Nineties as a working class northerner because it was such a big part of the culture.
"The thought of driving somewhere and not being able to have a drink was just anathema to me, but some of my worst experiences in life have involved alcohol. And then, in 2018, my niece got ovarian cancer and that really, really rocked me. That shook me to my core."
Life Without Alcohol
Hesmondhalgh, who was one of the first to be banished from the castle on the BBC show, said she would not return to her previous habits. She added: "I wouldn't go back to lying in bed at night thinking what did I say and feeling mentally vulnerable for anything. In fact I accidentally had a drink on holiday recently. Instead of a 0 per cent Heineken they gave me a proper one and I was sick as a dog."
Despite giving up alcohol, she remains supportive of the struggling pub industry, which increasingly serves more non-alcoholic beverages.
Supporting Local Pubs
Hesmondhalgh helped support one pub when fellow Celebrity Traitors competitor Joe Lycett said he was putting £100 behind the bars of 30 pubs. She recommended the Crown on Whalley Road in Accrington.
The pub's landlord Will Gilmartin told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's absolutely fantastic. It's a great gesture from Joe and its amazing from Julie. I didn't actually know she was doing it.
"Julie has been a regular here for a few years and I knew that she was on Celebrity Traitors. It's great when she pops into the pub and has her picture taken with all the regulars."
