Talitha Cummins reveals her private battle against alcohol addiction
EACH morning, newsreader Talitha Cummins delivers the news to your television screens — but it was what was happening in the evening that was ruining her life she tells ABC’s Australian Story tonight.
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EACH morning, newsreader Talitha Cummins delivers the news to your television screens — but it’s what was happening in the evening that was ruining her life.
Cummins reveals on ABC’s Australian Story that she started binge drinking at just 14 years old and from there it spiralled out of control.
At the height of her alcoholism she would drink up to four bottles of wine a night.
The journalist reveals that after she had one drink it would unleash an ‘unstoppable need’ for more.
“I’ve done things that I’m not proud of and I’ve done things that I probably won’t ever remember,” the new mother-of-one said.
“I went to the media awards in Brisbane all dressed up in a formal dress and proceeded to drink myself into oblivion.
“I was told I was carried into a car to be sent home.”
Not only was she fighting alcoholism, she was also battling depression and had overdosed — only to be rescued by a friend.
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She has now been four years sober but recounted a day where she ended up in hospital because of her heavy drinking.
“I ended up in hospital on a weekend and got my stomach pumped,” she said.
The 36-year-old gave birth to her first child with her personal trainer husband Ben Lucas in August this year naming the baby boy Oliver Paul Lucas.
Her mother, Kaye Wiig fronted the camera candidly revealing there were times she was worried her daughter “wouldn’t make it”.
“Seeing Talitha today, it’s just so heartwarming and I can think of my daughter now blocking out the bad parts and I think my goodness, she’s come such a long way,” she said.
“I am so proud of her.”
Former Channel Seven newsreader and friend of Cummins, Chris Bath said she didn’t recognise her colleague had a problem.
“Television is this bright, shiny, fabulous facade. When you’re a news presenter you put on a mask most of the time. Talitha fooled everyone,” Bath said.
When Cummins was approached by a boss at Channel Seven about her issues she finally found the courage to take action.
Bath told Australian Story the threat of potentially losing her job made her sober up.
Cummins signed up for Alcoholics Anonymous and the online help site Hello Sunday Morning.
Initially, she never wanted to reveal her story but when she accidentally hit ‘publish to the public’ on a private blog she was shocked with the positive comments she received.
“I was amazed. I got emails from people who were binge drinking, mothers who would start drinking in the afternoon, high profile people who were reformed alcoholics.”
She now jokes about situations when people ask if she wants an alcoholic drink.
“I had, oh, three years under my belt (of sobriety) before I became pregnant so I was used to you know, saying, ‘No, no, I won’t have a drink.’”
“You know, sometimes I’ll just say, ‘No, I’m an alcoholic thanks’ and see their reaction,” she joked.
Cummins hopes to break down stereotypes around alcoholism and encourage those affected to discuss about the extent of problem drinking in our society.
“With alcoholism and recovery there is no finishing line. It’s ongoing; recovery will be always and forever.”
Australian Story: The Big Dry airs tonight on ABC from 8pm.
Originally published as Talitha Cummins reveals her private battle against alcohol addiction
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