David Morrissey Reveals Alcoholism, 21 Years Sober on Radio

Actor David Morrissey revealed on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that crippling social anxiety and the trauma of his father's death drove him to alcoholism, from which he has been sober for 21 years after a desperate late-night call to a friend in Alcoholics Anonymous.

The 61-year-old Liverpool native, known for roles in Sherwood, The Walking Dead and State of Play, shared his story with host Lauren Laverne during the episode aired Sunday. Morrissey's father, Joe, died at age 54 from complications of a burst ulcer when Morrissey was 15, leaving the family in their Liverpool home. The loss robbed him of a close adult relationship with his father and left his mother drained of vitality, though he later expressed regret for not supporting her through her grief.

Drinking began as a coping mechanism for his severe social anxiety, Morrissey explained. "I had this terrible social anxiety and that helped me get through it," he said. "But later on I couldn't stop. I was on my own in the pub. That was really hard, and very hard for my ex-wife and people around me."

His recovery began two years after receiving a colleague's phone number during a job. In a moment of crisis, Morrissey...