Andrew Lloyd Webber Reveals Recovering Alcoholic Status

Renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has disclosed that he is a recovering alcoholic, sharing in an interview with The Times that he sought help 16 months ago after entering a severe downward spiral that strained his family.

The 78-year-old, known for blockbuster musicals such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, described how his addiction escalated about 18 months ago. "I am a recovering alcoholic. Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and it's the best thing that ever happened to me," he said. He explained that he initially tried to manage the issue alone after quitting alcohol in 2016 and selling much of his extensive wine collection, but relapsed through what he called "white-knuckling" without support. His wife, Madeleine Gurdon, whom he married in 1991, reached a breaking point. "The family were in a desperate state. My wife was feeling she couldn't go on," Webber recounted.

A private clinic stay proved ineffective, but attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings transformed his recovery. Now sober, Webber participates in AA sessions daily, adapting to his residences in London, Hampshire and New York, as well as travels that have...