Top Boy actor Ashley Walters reconnects with his family after alcoholism battle
Top Boy star Ashley Walters has candidly explained how he has rebuilt his relationship with his family after seeking treatment for alcoholism.
is a father of eight children - and is also a grandfather after his granddaughter, Neveah Jade Walters, arrived in 2020. The star has been married to and Chewing Gum actress Danielle Walters since 2013 and together they share two children.
The BIFA award-winning actor has been through personal struggles in the past - spending time in a young offenders institute in 2002 and battling alcoholism for years after. He is now five years sober, however, but has explained that he is still making it up to his family after his drinking "took its toll" on his home life.
Ashley revealed he went into rehab and has since turned his life around - but knows that he will be in recovery for the rest of his life. He also explained the heartbreaking moment that his young daughter said one thing that made him realise he needed to change.
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Opening up on The Jonathan Ross Show in an interview due to air on Saturday night, the star opens up about his alcohol battle, revealing: "I drank too much alcohol. I am nearly five years sober now... It took its toll on my body, it took its toll on my career but more importantly my family - my wife and my kids."
Reflecting on the moment he realised he needed help, he recounted: "The day I decided to get help was the day my six-year old daughter at the time knocked on my bedroom door and said she didn’t want me to live there anymore and that was hard to take - it hit me in the heart." He added: "I went in (rehab) for four weeks and came out a better man."
Show host Jonathan then asked the Top Boy star if he had managed to rebuild his relationships with his children. The star replied: "It’s a lifelong amends. I'm paying back to them everyday. It’s tough. Some people find it hard to forget but what I do everyday is clean my side of the street and put out that olive branch and they’re slowly coming back to the table so it’s good."
During the interview, Ashley also opened up about an 18-month period that he spent behind bars. He was sentenced to serve time in a young offenders institute in 2002 after being arrested for possessing a gun.
He said: "It was a nightmare. I have a vivid memory of being brought into the holding cell with other inmates who have just come in as well, to be processed. We’re all sitting there together on this bench and they’ve got a TV in the corner just playing over and over again the news story of me being brought into court. I realised that I was going to be in for a hard time at that point."
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