Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed that he is a recovering alcoholic, and that he now attends AA meetings every day – regardless of whether he is at home in London, Hampshire or New York.
The British musical theatre impresario behind hit shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar first announced that he had stopped drinking back in 2016.
At the time, he sold much of his famous wine collection that included cases of Château Pétrus 1982 worth £50,000 each.
But Webber, 78, now says that he began drinking again in secret after 18 months.
“I was doing what they call ‘white-knuckling’, without any backup, and I started to worry that I wasn’t being creative,” he told The Times.
Webber said he realised he needed help last year and that getting sober was “the best thing that ever happened to me”.
“You think it’s a secret, but it’s not,” he said of his past drinking habit. “Everybody knows. I started getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 month ago the family was in a desperate state. My wife was feeling she couldn’t go on.”
The composer said he had been surprised by how much he enjoyed attending AA meetings: “You go into a room and everybody’s equal. I’ve made friends that I wouldn’t have thought possible.”
Webber was also delighted to discover that, without alcohol, he is more productive than ever. He is writing two musicals, one based on the 2006 film The Illusionist, and another about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa.
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He is auctioning off the last of his wine at Christie’s between 22 April to 6 May, with the estimated £300,000 raised to be donated to the Music in Secondary Schools Trust.
Webber’s revelation comes shortly after his younger brother, the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, announced that he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
The musician, who had only just returned to live performances after a 12-year absence due to injury, said he looked forward to making a “full recovery” and had no intention of cancelling any of his engagements.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.
If you have been affected by this article, you can contact the following organisations for support: actiononaddiction.org.uk, mind.org.uk, nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth, mentalhealth.org.uk.
