Darren Day says he had to sleep in a pal’s car for five months after his drug addiction left him homeless.
At his worst the West End star was spending up to £2,100 a week on cocaine, which led to him losing his house, cars, and being declared bankrupt in 2006.
Despite continuing to bag theatre roles such as Joseph and Alfie, behind the scenes Darren’s life was spiralling out of control.
“I was homeless. I slept in a friend’s car in north London.
“I would park up in this car park in Hampstead until about November, when it started to get too cold. I had no sleeping bag. I just slept under some coats.
“All my possessions were in that car and I was still using drugs," he said in an interview with The Sunday Times.
At the time Darren had just split from his fiancée, former Hear’Say singer Suzanne Shaw, who had recently given birth to their son Corey, now 16.
Describing that period as “really grim”, he says things were so bad he used to cry himself to sleep as he couldn’t believe this was where his life had got to.
At the height of his fame he had a flat in north London, a four-storey townhouse on the Thames, a house in Brighton and three flashy cars.
But within a decade of discovering the “demon powder” - as he calls it - everything had unravelled for the star and he was left with literally nothing.
Bailiffs came and seized the house he was living in with Suzanne and all his cars were driven away.
Although he had no money, he says drug dealers were giving him “freebies” as he’d spent so much with them over the years.
Darren thinks he blew nearly £1million on cocaine, which left him owing £600,000 when he was finally declared bankrupt.
But although he admits to relapsing “a thousand times”, the 53-year-old revealed he has just celebrated 18 months of sobriety.
Posting a video on Twitter on Saturday, he said: “I want to say something today and I’m sharing this not to big myself up, not to say ‘go me’ in any way whatsoever, quite the opposite. I want to do this for other people.
“Today, is my 18 month sobriety anniversary. I’m 18 months sober today.
“I just want to say to anyone who’s struggling out there you can do this. I am someone who has relapsed a thousand times over the years, but now I’m not white knuckling anymore. I’m sticking to recovery with a capital R.
“All I would say to you out there is get to meetings, get a sponsor. 12 steps, everything and anything that works. I send all my love, God bless.”
Darren now lives with his fifth fiancée Sophie Ladd after kicking his habit and will tour with musical Footloose in February.
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
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