Emmerdale icon Danny Miller has opened up about how his co-star Isabel Hodgins supported him while he was quitting drinking. The soap star shared on his Instagram page last month that he had reached a year of sobriety, sharing his pride over reaching the milestone.
Speaking on the latest episode of the You Don't Know You're Born podcast, Miller explained how Hodgins – who was the special guest in the episode – was one of the "inspirations" behind his major lifestyle change.
The duo began by speaking about what positively impacts their mental health while parenting and in the wider world.
Hodgins opened up about the difficulties of getting to the gym with a newborn, to which Miller replied: "You're no good to her if you're down or if everything's down low, and that's what me and Steph [Jones] are good at, spotting each other's signs of needing a pick me up.
"That for me now is the gym, it used to be a beer, and we're going to talk about that later because Isabel was the inspiration behind me not drinking."
Later in the podcast, Hodgins shared a story from when Adam Thomas had left the soap, and he and Miller had gone to see James Arthur.
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Miller had convinced himself he was not filming scenes for Emmerdale the next day, but when she read her scenes, Hodgins noticed he was in them, and he had his days mixed up.
"It was awful, hence why I'm sober," Miller revealed, to which Hodgins said it was an "awful feeling" when all the cast and crew "know you're late because you've been drinking".
Miller continued: "Isabel was actually the inspiration...I can remember to the day, and it was a Friday morning, because I always remember the last time I had a drink was a Thursday night when I thought it was going to be over for me
"On the Friday morning, I was with Isabel, and I asked her, 'How do I stop drinking?' and she was amazing with me, she was an inspiration behind it."
He then went on to say that Hodgins had arrived with a very special token of her own to support her friend.
"She's come today, and she's given me a six-month chip for recovery and not drinking anymore, and she's brought in her very own year token to say well done to me."
He added: "She's a massive reason why I'm not drinking today, and that's why she'll always be one of my best friends in the world, and I'm very thankful.
Hodgins said she "could not be more proud" of the person Miller is now, sharing her congratulations with Miller.
Alcohol Change UK offers information, advice and support with their questions about drinking and the problems that can sometimes be caused by alcohol. For more information, visit Alcohol Change UK's website.
Drinkline also offers free, confidential advice to anyone who is concerned about their own or someone else's drinking on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm).
Readers can also contact Drinkaware.
