ESCAPE To The Country’s Briony May Williams has revealed she decided to go sober after a terrifying health scare.
The former Bake Off star, 40, became a regular face on the cosy countryside favourite in 2020, two years after her stint in the cooking show tent.
Briony revealed a stomach ulcer triggered her sobriety journey[/caption]
The star says she feels happier and healthier as a result of the decision[/caption]
An Escape to the Country favourite, Briony says her mental health has improved without alcohol[/caption]
In 2023, Briony ended up in hospital shortly before her 39th birthday, with the stint prompting her to make a major lifestyle change.
She told The Express: “I ended up in hospital with what turned out to be a stomach ulcer, and they said, ‘It’s probably best if you stop drinking for a bit’.
“It was never an addiction issue, I was a social drinker, I’d go out and have some wine, that kind of thing.
“But they said, ‘Oh it’s probably best if you stop for a little bit just to let the stomach ulcer settle’. So I stopped for a few weeks and I felt really good.”
From that point on, Briony said she decided to “just keep going”, and found herself losing weight, feeling healthier, and being more present with loved ones.
“My mental health especially has improved no end – I’ve had depression since my late teens and that is so much easier to manage not having alcohol in my life,” she said.
Now, Briony has become an advocate for sober living, launching Instagram page Gloriously Sober, and creating a community for those who have also ditched booze.
Her career has also soared, with her becoming one of Escape to the Country’s most loved presenters.
The series follows house hunters as they try to escape city life to find property in the countryside.
The hosting team are on hand to show them around houses they think might fit the bill.
The latest series started on Monday (18th August) with Ritchie Anderson joining the rotating cast of hosts.
It kicked off with Sonali Shah helping a Cheshire couple with a £250,000 budget try and find their Scottish dream home on Argyll and Bute’s Kintyre peninsula.
The star joined Escape to the Country in 2020[/caption]
Since quitting drinking, the star has lost three stone and feels healthier[/caption]
Briony is encouraging others to open up about their mental health[/caption]