Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals he is a 'recovering alcoholic'
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals he is a 'recovering alcoholic'
Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAYMon, April 20, 2026 at 2:47 PM UTC
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Andrew Lloyd Webber is opening up about his battle with alcoholism.
Legendary "Cats" composer, 78, got candid in an interview with The Times published Saturday, April 18, in which he calls himself a "recovering alcoholic" and reveals he has been sober for over a year, after secretly relapsing years prior.
"Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and it's the best thing that ever happened to me," he said.
The revelation comes after the "Evita" composer went sober in 2015 while producing "School of Rock" on Broadway, when he sold the entirety of his storied wine collection that he drank from daily, per the British outlet. He told the London Evening Standard at the time that he had "a very strong will." But he now says he was lying to the public.
Andrew Lloyd Webber attends The 78th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 8, 2025, in New York City.
"I was doing what they call 'white-knuckling,' without any backup, and I started to worry that I wasn't being creative," he told The Times. "And I thought, 'But I've said to everybody that I'm not drinking.' So I started to drink secretly."
But, he admitted, his secret was obvious.
"Everybody knows," the West End impresario said. "I started getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family [was] in a desperate state." He said his wife, Madeleine Gurdon, felt she "couldn't go on" amid his addiction.
Webber told the outlet that he went to rehab and now goes to daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings across Europe and the U.S. And he really is auctioning off the last of his wine.
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Andrew Lloyd Webber poses in the press room with the Tony Award for best revival of a musical for "Sunset Blvd." during the 78th Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 8, 2025.
The "Phantom of the Opera" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" composer admitted that drinking a glass of wine, or three, became part of the job.
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"I got that thing of seriously worrying that I wasn't writing, and panicked. 'Maybe I'll have a drink. OK, I've written something.' Because it does slightly liberate you. But then it's more and more and more," he said. "I can think of a couple of songs that have been hits where I'd definitely had a glass of wine and thought, that was all right."
Webber's wine collection is estimated to be worth £300,000, or just over $405,000. Money raised from the auction will go to the Music in Secondary Schools Trust, a fund for children's access to music partly funded by Webber's foundation.
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Now sober, he has written "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" to critical acclaim, and two new musicals, about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa and one based on the 2006 romantic thriller "The Illusionist." He's also still enjoying the success of recent runs of "Sunset Boulevard," starring Nicole Scherzinger, and "Evita," starring Rachel Zegler.
"I have had probably the two finest female performers in musical theatre in my shows," he said. "When you're not drinking, you think, 'My God, how lucky am I?'"
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It's available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals he is a 'recovering alcoholic'
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
