In an exclusive interview and photoshoot with HELLO! magazine, Davinia Taylor has opened up about her healthy new lifestyle after her wild years as part of the Primrose Hill set. The mum of four recently celebrated a decade of being sober, having battled alcoholism and depression.
"I was in complete denial," Davinia tells the magazine. "I thought if everyone just left me alone and I could have a drink, I would be fine. There wasn’t an aha moment. It was much tougher than that. The first ten months were harder than the past ten years. Every single cell in my body was telling me to take a drink. It was like being taking over by a parasite and the only thing you can do about it was to go cold turkey."
Davinia Taylor spoke to HELLO! in an exclusive interview
READ: Princess Charlotte is identical to Lady Kitty Spencer in new throwback photo
The actress, who has been dating builder Matthew Leyden – with whom she has two children (her eldest two sons are from previous relationships) – for eight years, says she is still in touch with some of the Primrose Hill set, including Meg Mathews and Sadie Frost, that made headlines in the early 2000s. "Most of that group were 'going-out' friendships," says Davinia. "We have all moved on – although I am still very good friends with Meg and Sadie. I don't particularly like going out much any more. I don't enjoy having conversations with drunk people: I don't find it funny or interesting, so I tend to turn up, do what I have to do and then go home."
MORE: Robbie Williams' children have the most incredible toy room at their London home
Davinia tells HELLO! how she is now committed to a daily diet of organic food and gym sessions – and she says her toned physique is also down to 'biohacking'. "It means using your personal biology to hack into your best self so you can optimise how you sleep, how you think and how you perform physically and mentally," she explains. "It has been a brilliant journey for me in understanding my past, how I became alcoholic and how I can avoid getting back into that cycle."
Of her hopes for her four boys, she says: "We have all made mistakes in our lives but hopefully, the next generation won’t because they will learn from us. Hopefully, my boys won’t do what I did because they will have an alternative way of feeling happy and good about themselves."
To read the full interview, pick up the latest copy of HELLO! magazine, out Monday 4 November.
Davinia’s villa is for sale with Engel & Völkers; visit marbella-ev.com and search for ID number W-013EMQ.