dax shepard kristen bell© Photo: Instagram

Kristen Bell's husband Dax Shepard makes heartbreaking announcement

The couple have two children together

US Deputy Editor
September 26, 2020

Kristen Bell's husband, Dax Shepard, recently celebrated 16 years of sobriety, but in a heartbreaking turn of events, he revealed he relapsed on painkillers.

The actor, 45 - who has two daughters, Delta, five, and Lincoln, seven, with Kristen, 40 - even admitted he was high as he rang in the sober milestone. 

Talking on his podcast Armchair Expert on Friday Dax explained how his painpill-taking spiralled out of control following a motorcycle accident in the summer.

MORE: Kristen Bell's children mark dad's important milestone 

WATCH: Health matters: Celebrities who are sober

"For the last eight weeks… I'm on them all day. I'm allowed to be on them at some dosage because I have a prescription, and then I'm also augmenting that," he said of the medication he was given by the doctors.

"Then all the prescriptions ran out, and I'm now just taking 30ml oxys that I've bought. 

"Again, in my addict-y brain, I'm like, I'm not taking them after four so I can sleep, I'm taking stool softener so I'm not constipated, I'm doing all the dishes and I'm being a dad and I'm interviewing people and the interviews seem to be going pretty well, and it's feeling very manageable."

But he then revealed his co-host, Monica Padman, began asking him what he was on and he admitted he had been lying to her and his wife.

MORE: How Kristen Bell maintains her vegan diet 

RELATED: 15 celebrities who don't drink alcohol

© Photo: Instagram

Kristen and Dax have two daughters 

Dax - who has been open about his addiction to alcohol and cocaine - said he tried to lower the dosage by himself and had to lie about having an arthritis flare-up to hide his withdrawal symptoms.

In the end, he made the tough decision to hand over his pills to his wife and ask for help. 

© Photo: Instagram

Dax's wife and children support him

Dax revealed he is once again clean and remains proud of his sobriety from alcohol and cocaine, but admitted he had "not been sober in the way I would like to be sober, where you don’t have secrets and you’re not afraid to tell people about the grey area you’re going through."

He recorded the episode on his seventh day of sobriety.

Kristen did not personally address the podcast but did share an Instagram story from a fan who praised her husband's courage and character. 

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