Dougie Poynter has bravely spoken on taking “lethal doses” of Valium after McFly broke up.
The bass player, 32, struggled after the Five Colours In Her Hair hitmakers decided to take an indefinite hiatus in 2016, and he says he turned to the drug to help his worries about the band breaking up “disappear”.
Music star Dougie – who previously attempted suicide in 2011 over drink and drugs problems – opens up on his battle with the calming drug during a candid chat with bandmates – Tom Fletcher, Harry Judd and Danny Jones – on an upcoming episode of their ITV show McFly: All About Us.
In the preview clip seen by The Sun Dougie says: “On the one hand I felt inspired because friends in LA would take me to see other bands and stuff.
“On the other hand, I was like, ‘But my band’s broken and it’s all my fault’. Valium was a way of just making all that disappear.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Fellow musician Danny reportedly recalls in the footage: “He went from being quite sketchy to being super chill, like almost dribbling and I was like, ‘There’s something wrong man’.”
According to the publication in the scenes set to air on Saturday, Harry shares that he asked Dougie what he was taking and if everything was ok.
Revealing that Dougie came clean, Harry adds: “And he sort of told me what he’d been taking. He was like, at that lethal dosage.”
The foursome explains how Dougie checked into rehab and the band took part in group therapy.
(Image: Getty Images)
Harry reflects in the clip: “We realised Dougie did nothing wrong. And that’s the biggest lesson from all this.”
In 2012 Dougie told how he was driven to the brink of despair by his inner demons and tried to kill himself after struggling with drink and drugs.
The former I’m A Celeb winner made the shock confession at a Channel 4 recording of Alan Carr’s Chatty Man.
He blurted out his feelings in an emotional interview as Carr asked him about the band’s autobiography, Unsaid Things… Our Story.
Referring to the book, Carr said: “Listen, I have got to say, it got really dark, about you trying to kill yourself?”
Dougie replied: “Yeah.”
Carr added: “Last time you were on Chatty Man you weren’t yourself.
“Now I realise you were battling drink and drugs. Did you feel better once you wrote about it?”
Dougie replied: “It’s always good to reflect on that sort of stuff. I’m in a really, really good place now. It is quite easy to forget.
“It’s quite therapeutic to go back, quite scary and a bit of an eye-opener into how dark it can get if you take your foot off the gas and stop looking after yourself.”
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
Dougie attempted suicide in a fume-filled car in February 2011 and was then treated for depression in rehab.
He made a good recovery and went on to win the 11th series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!
* McFly: All About Us airs on Saturday at 6.40 pm
* If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/mcflys-dougie-poynter-bravely-admits-22996467