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Louise Thomas
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Spencer Matthews has expressed embarrassment over his relationship with alcohol.
The former Made in Chelsea star, 35, quit drinking in 2018 to save his marriage to the presenter and My Therapist Ghosted Me podcast host Vogue Williams, prior to which he admitted he had been drinking up to 10 pints of beer a day while working as a city trader.
Matthews, who very occasionally drinks alcohol now, says he looks back on his period of excessive drinks with discomfort.
Speaking to the MailOnline, Matthews – who is training to run 30 marathons in 30 days – said: “I have come from having a shocking relationship with alcohol and feeling quite ashamed of myself actually to now being in a position where I’m really happy and comfortable.
“The things that have made a big difference to my overall health are hardly ever drinking, minimal amounts of alcohol, exercise, good sleep and proper supplements,” he added.
“I feel in the best shape of my life and I’m very happy.”
The former reality star is running 30 marathons in 30 days across the Jordanian desert to raise money for charity.
Speaking of the physical feat, Matthews explained: “I’m at that stage in my life where I really want to push the boundaries and explore what’s physically and mentally possible.”
If Matthews is successful in completing the challenge, which will see potential temperatures of up to 45 degrees each day, he will become a Guinness World Record holder for the most consecutive marathons run on sand.
“I have always been a big Bear Grylls fan and people that push themselves to their limits and now I want to do the same,” he said.
Matthews has previously spoken about his relationship with alcohol on his wife’s Taboo Talk podcast, revealing his career had been a major trigger for his increased alcohol consumption.
“I always had jobs where being able to handle your drink really well was a huge bonus,” he said.
“I was a trader at ICAP and we would drink five to 10 pints every single day and then take clients out at night and if you couldn’t do that, you wouldn’t get the job, basically.”
Speaking of his decision to reassess his drinking habits, Matthews explained: “I had a moment of clarity when I was drinking on my own at night if Vogue wasn’t around. All of a sudden I was going to bed drunk.”
He continued: “One night, when I was alone, I had a bottle of whiskey and struggled to get myself to bed. I was hammered drunk. I remember waking up the next day and I thought, ‘I don’t need this in my life.’”
Addressing Vogue, he added: “If I wasn’t married to someone who didn’t have a great relationship with alcohol, as in you don’t really like it, then my journey would have been more difficult.
“It’s not like I just fancied giving up drinking. I could have lost you, I could have lost work, I could have died - not to be overly dramatic about it, but that’s the way it was heading.”
