Jill Halfpenny has spoken candidly about her private struggle with alcoholism. The 48-year-old actor, who has been sober for more than a decade, revealed she previously found it difficult to manage her drinking as she dealt with the grief of losing her father at the tender age of four. In her forthcoming memoir A Life Reimagined: My Journey of Hope in the Midst of Loss, she wrote: "I began to see that I became a different person when I drank and I didn't always like who I became.
" She reflects in the book on how alcohol once seemed like an escape from her thoughts while paradoxically feeling it unlocked deeper parts of herself: "For a long time, alcohol had helped me escape, to stop thinking. Conversely, I thought it also helped me access all the things that lay dormant inside me." During her recovery journey Jill recounts the impact of meeting another actor at an AA meeting who provided her with support.
Describing the encounter she said: "As I calmed myself down, I noticed a woman walking around, asking a few of the attendees if they would be happy to do a reading. She looked radiant, happy..
. 'I want what she has! ' I thought." Read more: Taylor Swift donated amazing gift to people in Cardiff who really needed it and didn't tell anyone Read more: Foo Fighters fans given weather warning as thousands head to huge Cardiff gig Upon recognising the woman as a fellow actor Jill said she felt a surge of emotion.
"I took a closer look and realised I recognised her. She was an actr.