'Grantchester' star Robson Green opens up about drink and drugs struggle
Watch: Robson Green discusses addiction battle
Robson Green has spoken for the first time about dealing with drink and drug issues after becoming famous.
The actor, 56, was in his 20s when he found fame in shows such as Casualty and Soldier Soldier.
He enjoyed fame and all its trappings but according to the Mirror ended up in a “very dark place”, with his relationships like “a car crash”.
Green had to seek professional help and eventually rediscovered an old love of fishing, which he says was the "turning point".
“I was enjoying recognition, I was enjoying all the approval,” he said. “I was enjoying the awards, I was enjoying the parties, I was enjoying the drinking and everything else that went with fame.
“But, and I wish this was a more original story, my relationships were a car crash and I was losing touch with what mattered in life.”
“I started having real problems with fame and alcohol and drugs,” he added.
The actor, who was speaking ahead of his show Robson And Jim’s Icelandic Fishing Adventure, revealed that things came to a head when his father asked him if he was happy, and he thought about it and realised that he wasn’t.
Read more: Robson Green rails against ‘butt-clenchingly awful’ past acting jobs
Green went to see a therapist who asked him who he was. When he said he was an actor, the therapist pointed out that acting was his career, not who he actually was, which made him do a bit of soul-searching.
At some point, the star’s old love of fishing came up and he decided to get back into it, which he said “was a turning point”.
“It has been and still is my road to Damascus,” he said.
Read more: Robson Green explores Hadrian’s Wall
Green’s more recent roles include detective series Grantchester and the drama Age Before Beauty.
He was also known for being part of singing duo Robson & Jerome.
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