WAYNE Lineker admitted he “felt like a burden” at the height of his drinking hell and what prompted him to change his ways for good.
The businessman, 63, said his life has completely changed as he celebrates eight months of sobriety, having last had a drink in July.
The Celebs Go Dating star has since swapped his partying Ibiza lifestyle for a much quieter time in Essex after his son pulled him up on it.
The star, who has three sons Duane, 41, Sean, 33, and Freddie, 21 and daughter Tia, 27, said that his drinking was taking its toll on his family.
Wayne, who also has three grandchildren, said he had a wake up call when his son Duane told him it was no longer safe for him to pick his grandkids up from school due to his drinking.
“It became a burden on the family, Duane is very sensible and looked after me when I was in Ibiza. But he called me in the office one day and said, ‘Dad, we can’t let you pick the girls up from school any more… sorry’, he told the Mail.
READ MORE ON WAYNE LINEKER
“I understood, but it was a big turning point for me. It hit me like a ton of bricks.”
Wayne then checked himself into The Priory facility, a popular facility that helps celebrities with their addictions, for six weeks.
“I was not behaving well and I didn’t feel good. I didn’t feel healthy and it finally caught up with me.’
Wayne also admitted that the video of him drunk while trying to take over the DJ decks at his O Beach Ibiza club was a low point for him.
He said his behaviour was “embarrassing” and was putting his business in jeopardy.
After years of being in denial, Wayne said he was pulled up on it by his business partners, who insisted he get help.
Wayne admitted going to rehab was the best decision of his life – but he’s now looking for someone to enjoy it with.
Wayne – who has been single for eight years after splitting with his ex fiance Danielle Sandhu, 33, after four years together -said he is now looking for the right woman to complete him.
He said about his love life: “I had a beautiful relationship with my ex, and I just found it difficult to replace her. She was just perfect. She ended up getting a modelling career, and I was seeing less of her.”
The entrepreneur, who has been open about only dating women in their 30s or younger, said he is now open to meeting someone older.
He added that he’s ready to settle down and find that missing piece.
On Friday, Wayne sparked concern after he revealed he’s lived on just water and coffee for a WEEK after nearly dying of pneumonia.
The club owner had a huge health scare and was hospitalised over Christmas.
Wayne, a familiar figure on the Mediterranean party scene, previously admitted he previously found himself in a “never ending cycle I couldn’t get out of” after admitting “my breakfast of choice was a cheese and tomato toastie and vodka red bull”.
Now he has done a complete U-turn on his lifestyle, and has gone to the extreme length of fasting.
This kind of diet sees people living off just water and sometimes coffee, which can cause their blood sugar level to drop very low.
Taking to Instagram he penned: “I am about to eat after 7 days and 2 hours ..Had to go 2 hours over due to long f***ing meetings.”
He then showed a pic of his first meal in a week, and wrote: “You may think this is a strange choice but after a seven day fast you need to stick to a keto diet for a week but I am telling you it was absolutely unbelievably fantastic salmon beetroot green beans and 2 eggs.”
Wayne also revealed he was off to the gym, as he continued his health kick.
It should be noted that the NHS recommend talking to your GP before fasting for weight loss.
Wayne was whisked to hospital after contracting pneumonia at the beginning of December.
The star was so unwell that he spent Christmas Day in a hospital bed.
Wearing a Santa hat, Wayne said: “Guys, I just heard the news! I’m going home but not until Boxing Day.
“I’m gonna miss it by a day, oh well. Merry Christmas.”
Wayne later gave an update on how he was doing after “nearly dying” from the illness.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain in January, host Susanna Reid asked the businessman: “How bad was it when you were in hospital?”
He replied: “Well I was close to death twice.
“I went to Dubai and I caught an infection that I thought was very similar to Covid, so I put on a mask and went home
“This is about eight, nine weeks ago, and when I got home I was feeling really ill, the infection seemed to be getting worse.
“I had a couple of hours sleep and it was 2am. I went to bed and my phone was over on the other side of the room.
“I woke up two hours later and I couldn’t move at all.
“I wasn’t paralysed but it was the pain I was receiving as it attacked my lower spine.
“I managed to crawl to the phone and it was probably the worst two minutes of my life as I was in pain.”
