Ulrika Jonsson admits to secret drink problem that saw her black out before she quit

TV icon Ulrika Jonsson would black out after drinking in order to deal with anxiety

Ulrika Jonsson has opened up about her past struggles with alcohol, which threatened to engulf her before she made a decisive move to stop drinking. The 57-year-old TV veteran has confessed to periods of heavy drinking that led to blackouts.

Her friends grew worried when conversations with her became nonsensical due to her intoxication and she would often not remember these incidents the day after.

Jonsson admits that she turned to drink as a means to cope with anxiety, but now says that life has significantly improved since she became sober. After four months without alcohol, Ulrika has experienced noticeable health improvements.

The famed presenter, known for her breakthrough role as a weather presenter in the late '80s, acknowledged that she had to hit a personal low and decide to seek help on her own—even though one close friend had already pointed out her issue to her. She's now courageously sharing her journey in hopes of assisting others who might be fighting similar battles.

Sharing her experience with The Sun, Jonsson said, "Drink quelled my anxiety. It transported me to another place where I felt at peace - where the problems of the world couldn't reach me and, most importantly, where I felt numb. I drank to kill my feelings of anxiety and my fears of everything", reports the Mirror.

"I was a highly functioning binge drinker. I never woke up dishevelled in a pool of sick. But the number of times I would black out and not recall the night before when I had been drinking alone, were increasing."

Ulrika shared a poignant moment when a friend confronted her about her drinking problem. This reality check came one weekend when the pal recounted how she had made no sense over a phone call the previous night due to intoxication.

That same friend insisted the television presenter needed to seek assistance – advice that initially fell on deaf ears until another sober comrade offered the necessary support. Reflecting on those darker times, Ulrika revealed, "I was hungover again some days later and I had nothing but shame running through my veins. My head just knew that this was the end of life as I knew it then."

In an earnest admission, she continued: "I reached out to a friend who hasn't had a drink for five years and said, 'I can't do this any more'. I had the gift of desperation. And that was my first sober day. I haven't touched a drink since that day and I haven't wanted to."

The former 'Gladiators' host has found solace in sobriety, proudly declaring her 121-day abstinence from alcohol, which has brought tranquillity and clarity into her life, free from hangovers and inebriation.

Recent statistics have painted a concerning picture with over 600,000 adults in the UK labeled as alcohol-dependent. Against this backdrop, government plans suggesting pubs might be required to close at 10pm to curb excessive drinking faced severe criticism last month.