Ex-EastEnders star Paul Nicholls talks addiction and recovery
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Note: This article discusses topics including drug addiction and depression.
Former EastEnders star Paul Nicholls has spoken candidly about his drug addiction.
Known for playing Joe Wicks on the soap between 1996 and 1997, Paul recently sat down with The Sun to discuss everything from relapsing to recovery.
"I've had addiction issues before and relapsed last year," Paul began. "The rabbit hole I went down led to places that I never thought I'd end up in – in flats with people that I didn't know.
"I was taking lots of dihydrocodeine, a very strong opiate painkiller and on top of that, cocaine... every time I relapsed cocaine is always present," he further recalled.
"At certain points I'd be gone for three or four days and not sleep at all. I stopped caring, I pressed the 'f**k it' button."
After suffering a stroke in 2018, Paul became severely depressed, and he relapsed in 2020.
"Once I take any substance, judgment goes out the window," he said. "In the places I ended up, people knew who I was. I know there's people out there with pictures and that's why I'm kind of saying all this stuff.
"It was horrendous. I didn't care about myself. I wasn't well at all."
Paul also reflected on his serious accident in 2017 on holiday in Thailand, in which he broke both his legs and was rescued by emergency services after becoming trapped.
He confirmed that he spent six months in hospital and added that "it was an incredibly hard thing to come back from".
Since relapsing, the actor has attended Narcotics Anonymous sessions, fighting hard to stay clean for the last few months.
"If I don't stop, I will die," Paul added.
"There is a bit of hope now, though. I mean, I'm back in recovery. I have fear, which most addicts do. But I can get to a year clean again and work again."
For more on drug addiction and dependency, including information and support, please visit FRANK or Action on Addiction.
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