‘I knew I was going to die if I continued’: Coronation Street’s Kevin Kennedy recalls a ‘massive blackout stroke’ that prompted him to quit drinking during the booze battle
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Coronation Street’s Kevin Kennedy has recalled suffering a “massive blackout with stroke” on Saturday at the height of his battle with alcoholism.
The 60-year-old actor – who played Curly Watts on the soap opera from 1983 to 2003 – described the terrifying moment as life-changing as it gave him the motivation to stop drinking.
Speaking to The Sun, Kevin revealed how he broke down after going two days without alcohol in May 1998, forcing him to be clean with soap bosses.
Sober: Kevin Kennedy, 60, of Coronation Street, recalled suffering a ‘massive blackout’ on Saturday at the height of his battle with alcoholism (pictured November 2021)
He explained: “I came to in the ambulance and it scared me to death. I knew I would die if I continued, but emotionally I didn’t get it, addiction told me it’s normal.
Kevin described the “blackout-come-stroke” as a “moment of clarity” as he told Coronation Street bosses about his decades-long problem.
The actor continued, “I knew my drinking wasn’t normal — no one else I knew was drinking in the morning, canceling plans because they couldn’t get a drink, or just going on vacation where they could drink the most – but I could.” I won’t stop.”
On set: The actor, who played Curly Watts on the soap, described the moment as life-changing as it gave him the motivation to quit (pictured in 1989 with Elizabeth Dawn as Vera Duckworth)
Now sober at 25, Kevin explained: “Alcohol held me back, I couldn’t concentrate and made terrible decisions. The abstinence from alcohol gave me turbo energy.”
In lockdown, Kevin opened up about his battle with alcoholism as he insisted it was time to get sober.
The actor admitted the phones at his Kennedy Street charity, which aims to help people fight their alcohol addiction, “haven’t stopped ringing.”
Clarity: He explained: “I woke up in the ambulance and it scared me to death. I knew I would die if I continued, but emotionally I didn’t get it.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, he said: “We have a very small charity, Kennedy Street. During the lockdown, our phones haven’t stopped ringing. It’s people self-medicating at home during the pandemic.
“Now is the perfect time to get sober. We have raised funds and need help. I think we might be losing more people to mental health issues than to the actual virus the way things are going.
“There is no judgement. We don’t judge anyone here. We’ve all been through it. That is the secret. There is a privacy. You can get help without having to do much. You’re not alone.’
Help: In lockdown, Kevin opened up about his battle with alcoholism as he insisted it was time to get sober
Kevin previously admitted he “always had a drink nearby” as he battled his addiction during his time on the cobbles.
Speaking on a previous episode of Good Morning Britain, he said: “I was known as a maintenance drinker where I maintained a certain level of intoxication throughout the day and that balance is quite difficult to find.
“Sometimes you were visibly drunk if you went too far, but if you didn’t drink enough you went into an involuntary detox, which isn’t nice at all. So yeah, I always had a drink somewhere near or around me.
Fight: Kevin has previously admitted he “always had a drink nearby” as he battled his addiction during his time on the cobbles