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Strictly Come Dancing's new host Josh Widdicombe marked three years of sobriety this year
New Strictly Come Dancing presenter Josh Widdicombe has previously opened up about giving up alcohol after recognising that once he started drinking he "couldn't stop".
The comedian - who will present the BBC dance programme alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe - recently marked three years of sobriety with a heartfelt Instagram message. The father-of-two shared with followers that he felt "so incredibly lucky" to have stopped, and that he no longer missed "the self-hatred of hungover parenting".
"Three years without a drink this week," the star wrote. "Celebrated my birthday with my family and an orange juice and soda .
"Things I have replaced it with: fizzy water, decaf tea, reading, running, increasing obsession with music. " "Things I don't miss: being sick, wondering what I did last night, finding out what I did last night, shame, the self-hatred of hungover parenting, wondering if people know I'm still drunk, thinking about the next time I drink and knowing that time it will be amazing, wondering why other people can just have two, nightclubs.
" "I feel so incredibly lucky to have stopped," he added. "If you wish too, then it is possible. Speak to people you know who have, they will happily bore you senseless about it.
" Josh had previously revealed that he had felt alcohol was "everything", reports OK! He has been quoted as saying on the Talk Nineties To Me podcast: "I often think that did come from the things I consumed media-wise in the 90s. I put it on a pedestal. I saw alcohol as everything.
"That's TFI Friday, that's the Brit Awards, that's advertising for alcopops. All these things were, 'This is where the fun is. The fun is in alcohol'.
" In 2025, he told Men's Health: "I didn't drink all the time, but when I did, I couldn't stop. "I'm definitely not down on booze – I had some of the best times of my life when I was drinking and university was brilliant because of alcohol. I just relate to it all wrong.
" Josh has been confirmed as one of the new Strictly presenters, alongside TV star Emma and professional dancer Johannes. The trio are stepping into the roles vacated by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who departed at the end of the previous series. Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One.
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