Denise Welch has shared an emotional and deeply personal milestone, revealing that she has now gone 14 years without a single alcoholic drink after a turbulent chapter in her life that once left her facing blackouts, destructive rows and painful regret.
The Loose Women star, now nearing 68, marked the anniversary on Instagram by posting a touching before-and-after tribute and reflecting on just how much her life has changed since giving up alcohol. Alongside the post, Denise paid tribute to her husband Lincoln Townley, who has also remained sober, and described him as one of the biggest reasons her life turned around.
She wrote: “Today I celebrate 14 yrs since I had my last alcoholic drink. Not even a sherry trifle…..although I did have a rum and raisin ice cream in Italy last year but luckily remained sober!!!”
Denise went on to admit that alcohol had once played a devastating role in both her personal life and her relationship. She said: “The only thing that we can ever thank alcohol for is that we wouldn’t have met in a nightclub at 6am had we not been drinkers. We knew that we potentially had a great relationship but the problems, the blackouts, the terrible decisions, the arguments and fights only happened when drink and drugs were involved.”
In one of the most striking parts of her message, Denise revealed that she had spent years trying to numb deeper struggles in the wrong way. She said: “I was desperately, pathetically trying to medicate a severe mental illness to no avail and Lincoln was running a nightclub that required him to work into the early hours.”
Although the couple did not turn to Alcoholics Anonymous, Denise made it clear that their recovery journey was no less real or hard-fought. She explained: “I don’t believe a higher power got me sober, it was will power got me sober,” before recalling a piece of advice that stayed with her — that someone has a problem with alcohol when their drinking is making both them and the people who love them “desperately unhappy”.
That, she said, was exactly the reality both she and Lincoln were living through.
Denise also reflected on how getting sober transformed not only their relationship, but the lives of those around them. She said: “We were lucky that we could be each others anchor and go on this difficult journey together.” She added that their strong marriage has meant their children no longer have to live with the “worry and embarrassment” that their old lifestyle might have brought.
Looking back now, Denise said she and Lincoln feel no longing for the life they left behind. Instead, they can finally revisit old memories without being consumed by shame. She wrote: “We miss absolutely nothing about our old drinking days but we are now at a place where we can reminisce and find humour in some of our stories rather than just shame.”
The actress also shared that she is now entering what she described as a personal “renaissance”, with acting work on the horizon, Lincoln’s art reaching major international recognition, and family life bringing her enormous joy. “At nearly 68, I’m having somewhat of a renaissance and loving every minute,” she said. “Life is good.”
Her journey, however, did not end with quitting alcohol. Denise has previously spoken openly about how she later realised she may have been replacing one addiction with another, after noticing troubling patterns around food. She admitted she began bingeing, secretly eating and hiding chocolate, before recognising the same guilt and secrecy that had once surrounded her drinking.
Eventually, after gaining two stone in a relatively short period, Denise was forced to confront the impact it was having on her health. She later lost the weight and also used CBT techniques to quit smoking — another major personal victory after taking up the habit at just 16.
Today, Denise’s story stands as one of honesty, resilience and reinvention — a reminder that even after years of chaos, regret and emotional pain, it is still possible to rebuild a life that feels joyful again.
