TV host and former Great British Bake Off star Briony May Williams, 40, has shared her journey to sobriety and the joy she’s found since leaving alcohol behind. Reflecting on her relationship with drinking, Briony revealed how it once played a dominant role in her life, leading to moments of regret and eventually a serious health scare.
Growing up in Bristol, Briony explained that alcohol was not present in her household. However, in her late teens, she began binge-drinking on nights out, and alcohol quickly became central to her social life. By adulthood, drinking two bottles of wine on a Friday night followed by vodka shots had become routine, often leaving her sick by the end of the night. “Then I’d do it all again the following night,” she said.
Briony admitted that many of her life regrets stemmed from times when alcohol lowered her inhibitions. “There were times I would sleep with people I shouldn’t have because my inhibitions were down,” she shared, reflecting on decisions she wished she hadn’t made. On another occasion, she lost important papers during a night of heavy drinking, only finding them after a frantic morning of calls to bars and a taxi service.
The wake-up call came shortly after her 39th birthday in November 2023 when Briony was rushed to the hospital with chest pains. The diagnosis—a stomach ulcer caused by alcohol consumption—led her to re-evaluate her lifestyle. Doctors advised her to give up not only alcohol but also fizzy drinks, caffeine, and vaping, which she had taken up during lockdown.
Since making the change, Briony has embraced sobriety and the positive impact it has had on her life. Now, as she continues hosting Escape to the Country, she hopes her story will inspire others to make healthier choices.
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