Carlyyy.maytee
08-04-2007, 14:20
Coronation Street star Craig Charles has admitted that he considered suicide at the height of his cocaine addiction.
The actor, who plays cabbie Lloyd Mullaney on the ITV1 soap, had been clean for years when the death of his father pushed him over the edge, resulting in him turning to drugs to numb the pain.
"I've been to hell and back and lived to tell the story. If I'd carried on as I was I'd have been dead in a year - either from a massive heart attack sparked by a drug overdose or because I'd have been murdered by gangsters," Craig told the News of the World.
"My wife Jackie left me twice because she was so disgusted by my behaviour. There were so many times I seriously considered committing suicide. I was just desperately, desperately sad and would be climbing the walls in a real pit of despair."
Charles was suspended from the Street last year after he was caught taking drugs in the back of a car. Producers told the actor that they would consider standing by him if he beat his addiction and he resumed filming in January after seven months away from the soap. Letters of support from his co-stars were also a huge help as he battled his demons.
"I owe them all a huge debt of gratitude," Craig added. "Things like that can mean the difference between life and death when you're so low."
The actor, who plays cabbie Lloyd Mullaney on the ITV1 soap, had been clean for years when the death of his father pushed him over the edge, resulting in him turning to drugs to numb the pain.
"I've been to hell and back and lived to tell the story. If I'd carried on as I was I'd have been dead in a year - either from a massive heart attack sparked by a drug overdose or because I'd have been murdered by gangsters," Craig told the News of the World.
"My wife Jackie left me twice because she was so disgusted by my behaviour. There were so many times I seriously considered committing suicide. I was just desperately, desperately sad and would be climbing the walls in a real pit of despair."
Charles was suspended from the Street last year after he was caught taking drugs in the back of a car. Producers told the actor that they would consider standing by him if he beat his addiction and he resumed filming in January after seven months away from the soap. Letters of support from his co-stars were also a huge help as he battled his demons.
"I owe them all a huge debt of gratitude," Craig added. "Things like that can mean the difference between life and death when you're so low."