Marco Pierre White's troubled son has converted to Islam in order to stay off heroin after being released from jail.
The former reality star has been battling with a heroin addiction since the age of 18 and was jailed at HMP Bristol last year. He pleaded guilty to 14 difference offences such as shoplifting, possessing heroin and carrying a knife.
Originally sentenced to 11 months, with 32 weeks of a previously suspended jail term to run consecutively, Marco Jr now been released and wants to "stay clean" - and has reportedly turned to Allah during his time in prison.
The Mirror reports that his famous chef dad has apparently spent around £1m on his rehabilitation in an attempt to help kick his drug abuse that started at the age of 13.
The celebrity chef’s son has told how he plans to follow in his father's footsteps and become a chef as he focuses on healing.
Marco Jr told the MailOnline how he is determined to turn his lift around and kick his addictions to the curb.
He said: “More than £1million has wasted because of my addictions. But Islam has helped me get through everything. I have been in rehab 17 times and being in prison has made me realise that enough is enough.”
He says he was stabbed in the neck and lost six teeth in a fight during his sentence - and was beaten by his cellmates when they found out he had carried out a race hate crime, prompting him to be moved to a single cell.
Despite his difficult time behind bars, Marco Jr said his prison sentence is the “only thing” that’s cured him of his addiction.
Having spent time in rehab facilities all over the world, he claimed being locked in a cell for 23 hours a day has healed him.
“I have realised how lucky I am and have been. I have seen all walks of life in prison and some people don't have a chance in life. I have had every opportunity and I have thrown them all away," he said.
“I could have done anything I wanted to, but instead I did heroin and ended up in prison. I have been an idiot.”
MailOnline reports that the recovering addict was drinking a beer – forbidden in Islam – during his interview but told how he now prays to Allah five times a day.
He explained he was interested in other inmates going to pray and talking about the Islamic community and the Qur'an.
After spending some time flicking through the Qur'an, he became more interested. He prayed and asked Allah to forgive his sins, make him strong and protect him.
He also prayed for the safety of his family - all of which, he says, has come true. “This is crazy how everything works out for me. I do believe it has a lot to do with my prayers and my religion,” he explained.
Despite the hardships of jail, the doting dad said missing a year of his daughter Arabella’s life has made him determined to never use drugs again.
He says he spoke with his three-year-old every day on the phone whilst he was in jail, with her believing he was at work. Because of this, he didn't let her come and visit.
He was reunited with his little girl, who he describes as the love of his life, last week and has vowed to not let her suffer anymore. And he didn't let his chef dad visit either, or even pick him up upon his release.
The father-of-one admitted that without his dad’s intervention, he would have died or spent the rest of his days as an addict and in jail.
He explained to the outlet that his time inside made him realised how much stress he’s put his dad through and praised him for continuing to be his biggest supporter despite it all.
Marco Jr is determined to make him proud after losing himself and forgetting who he was on heroin.
He said he’s hoping to join his dad in the family business like his brother Luciano Pierre White, who owns several restaurants, and his sister Mirabelle, who manages a Michelin star restaurant in Oxford.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.
