Andrew Lloyd Webber laments the difficulties musicians and theatres now face
World-famous composer and leading voice in the UK music industry, Andrew Lloyd Webber, has discussed the challenges
www.theatre-news.comDirect answer: Yes. Recent reporting confirms Andrew Lloyd Webber has opened up about being a recovering alcoholic and that he stopped drinking earlier but had relapsed before entering recovery again.
Key points from the latest coverage:
- He says he briefly quit drinking in 2015 but drank secretly for about 18 months, then sought help and began daily recovery efforts [source: People, April 18, 2026; Independent UK, April 18, 2026].
- He now attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and describes being in a sustained recovery, calling it “the best thing that ever happened”—and notes he needed support beyond his own willpower [People; Independent].
- He made these disclosures in a recent interview with The Times, framing his journey as a recovering alcoholic and detailing the downward spiral that prompted family concern [Express UK; Mirror; Yahoo UK coverage summarizing the Times interview].
Notes on context:
- Some outlets emphasize his public persona and ongoing commitment to sobriety, including ongoing AA participation and fundraising/auctioning wine as part of his recovery narrative [Express UK; Liverpool Echo].
- Coverage also reiterates his initial claim of quitting in 2016, followed by a candid admission of relapse before pursuing structured support [People; Independent].
Would you like a concise timeline of events or a brief list of quotes from the interviews for quick reference? I can pull that together with exact dates and attribution.