Recovering alcoholic Fiona O’Loughlin reveals why being a comedian on tour means she’ll NEVER relapse on booze
Comedian Fiona O’Loughlin has spoken candidly about her struggles with alcohol addiction in the past.
And on Thursday, the 57-year-old discussed how her stand-up career is saving her from a possible relapse.
Despite the perils of life on the road, she told Today Extra she has ‘no fear’ about doing comedy tours as continues her recovery.
Ready to hit tour: Fiona O’Loughlin told Today Extra on Thursday she has ‘no fear’ of going on tour and revealed why being a comedian means she’ll NEVER relapse on booze. Fiona pictured in 2007
Today Extra host David Campbell asked if she was concerned about ‘free booze backstage’ triggering her on tour.
‘No, I don’t have any fear of being on the road. Fortunately, I think being a comedian is a real plus for this and I will tell you why,’ she said.
Fiona then explained: ‘Because we have this connection: comedians are very tight and I don’t think there would be a comedian in Australia who would happily sit and watch me drink, or let alone encourage me to drink.
‘That community, I am so grateful for.’
Not afraid: Host David Campbell if she was concerned if ‘free booze backstage’ would trigger her. She said: ‘No, I don’t have any fear of being on the road. Fortunately, I think being a comedian is a real plus’
‘I am so grateful’: Fiona explained that Australia’s tight knit community of comedians would not let her fall of the sober bandwagon. She said: ‘I don’t think there would be a comedian in Australia who would happily sit and watch me drink, or let alone encourage me to drink’
Fiona came out as an alcoholic in 2009 after she collapsed during a show in Brisbane in front of a crowd of 400 after drinking copious amounts of vodka.
She infamously relapsed on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2018, and drank hand sanitiser when alcohol was unavailable in the South African jungle.
Last year, she told Daily Mail Australia that her lowest moment came five years ago.
Reality TV stint: Fiona infamously relapsed on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2018, and drank hand sanitiser when alcohol was unavailable in the South African jungle
‘The lowest I ever really felt was when I moved back home at the age of 52, penniless and broke,’ she said.
‘Sitting in the backseat of your parents’ car at the age of 52, to sign me up for Centrelink. What a day that was.’
Fiona, who marked one year of sobriety in December, now intends to complete a ‘making amends’ tour.
Atoning for her past: Now, Fiona, who marked one year of sobriety since December 17 2019 – and revealed that she now intends to complete a ‘making amends’ tour and hand out free tickets to anyone who witnessed her at a low point over the past few decades
Making amends to people you’ve hurt is considered an essential part of addiction recovery, and is one of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Fiona is giving free tickets to anyone who witnessed her drunk on stage over the past few decades and hopes she will redeem herself this time around.
‘I’m going to do a making amends tour… I know the towns where it all happened, and I want to go back there,’ she said.
‘I can still have paying customers – but I want to go to these towns and anyone who was there, who has been there at one of my disasters. They get free tickets.’
Restoring her performance: She added, ‘I can still have paying customers – but I want to go to these towns and anyone who was there, who has been there at one of my disasters… they get free tickets’