Chris Kamara, 61, was shocked to find out he was among the heaviest 11 per cent of male drinkers in Britain back in 2017. As a result he vowed to cut back on drink. The revelation came from a GP, and he was horrified to learn he drank four times the safe level of alcohol. His intake was 55 units a week, earning him the place of one of Britain’s heaviest male drinkers.
The presenter’s drinking problem was calculated using Drinkaware.co.uk’s DrinkCompare calculator.
“It’s worrying-frightening really,” he told the Sunday Mirror.
“I started looking at what I was drinking at home and realised one glass of wine turned into a bottle and one bottle of beer turned into four or five.
“Adding them all up, you go hang on a minute, this isn’t going to do me any good in the long run.”
Chris divulged he’d increased his alcohol intake out of boredom while working away.
He said: “Hotel rooms aren’t the most exciting place to be, I always have a few drinks to stop the boredom. The check showed I had 55 units a week – the advice is 14.”
A pint of beer or glass of wine contains two units.
Chris added: “I didn’t realise I was four times over the limits. I thought ‘I’ve got to do something’.
“I’ve just become a grandad to Solomon and I want to play football with him in 10 years in the back garden.”
How much alcohol should you drink?
Government guidelines advise the following to keep your risk of alcohol-related harm low:
- Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis
- If you drink as much as 14 units a week, it’s best to spread this evenly over 3 or more days
- If you’re trying to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it’s a good idea to have several alcohol-free days each week
- If you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum
There are short term and long-term risks associated with alcohol misuse.
The NHS says short term risks of alcohol misuse include accidents and injuries requiring hospital treatment, such as a head injury.
The risk of unprotected sex, alcohol poisoning, loss of personal possessions and violent behaviour is also increased.
If alcohol misuse persists, long-term risks include heart disease, stroke, liver disease, several types of cancer and pancreatitis.
The healthy body advises: “If you’re concerned about your drinking or someone else’s, a good first step is to see a GP.
“They’ll be able to discuss the services and treatments available.”
Another presenter who’s spoken about their health in the past is Emma Willis.
