“Alcohol Was Ruining My Face”: Susanna Reid Exposes The Shocking Truth Behind Her Sobriety

For years, TV presenter Susanna Reid let the world believe her decision to quit alcohol was driven by health concerns and “hangxiety.”

But now, in a brutally honest revelation on Good Morning Britain, the 53-year-old star has confessed the real reason she gave up drinking — and it’s not what you think.

Susanna Reid revealed on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain the real reason that she announced plans to become sober five years ago

Forget wellness trends or New Year resolutions.

Susanna’s motivation was staring her right in the mirror.

“A doctor told me to stop drinking… for the sake of my skin,” she admitted live on air.

That bombshell confession is turning heads across the UK, as Reid lifted the lid on how alcohol left her skin flushed, prone to breakouts, and looking far older than her years.

“Of course, if someone tells you they can cure your skin problems by giving up alcohol — that’s a proper motivator,” she added.

At the time, the presenter, 53, cited 'hangxiety' and a high BMI as her reasons. However, she revealed another reason still on the ITV breakfast show

The Face Behind The Decision

Susanna first went teetotal in 2018, citing her high BMI and debilitating “hangxiety” — a post-drinking anxiety many experience after heavy nights out.

But it wasn’t until her doctor bluntly warned her about alcohol’s visible damage that she committed fully to sobriety.

Susanna told co-host Richard Madeley: 'I gave up drinking because a doctor said you should try giving up drinking... for the sake of your skin'

“Even after I gave up, if I had just one drink, I’d see the impact on my face almost instantly. It became a huge deterrent,” she revealed.

Friends Tried To Pull Her Back

Despite her dedication, Susanna confessed to occasional “slip-ups” over the years — often under pressure from friends like her outspoken former co-host Piers Morgan.

But the days of wild nights out at Soho’s Groucho Club are well behind her.

“Basically, I’m a lot less fun now — as Piers tells me all the time,” she joked.

Sobriety’s Surprising Impact On Dating

Reid also addressed the awkward truth about dating while sober — something many non-drinkers quietly struggle with.

The presenter has been teetotal since 2018, bar a few slip-ups, despite attempts from friends to pull her off the wagon (pictured with Piers Morgan in 2023)

“I told one man I didn’t drink, and just like that, he stopped making arrangements.  It just ceased to be,” she recalled.

But Susanna remains unbothered.

“I don’t care. I’m just grateful I don’t wake up with a sore head anymore,” she said defiantly.

Weight Loss & Health Wins

Since ditching booze, Susanna has lost an impressive two stone, proving that ditching alcohol isn’t just about vanity — it’s about health and energy.

However, the road hasn’t been entirely smooth.

In 2024, she admitted to a new vice: caffeine overload.

“One morning, I worked out I’d had eight coffees,” she said, referencing her gruelling 3:45am wake-ups for Good Morning Britain.

Susanna revealed to the Mail in 2019 that she no longer felt 'hangxiety' and explained what that meant

A doctor’s warning about her vocal cords finally convinced her to cut back — swapping some of her coffees for soothing ginger tea.

“It’s Like Breaking Up With A Bad Relationship”

Sobriety hasn’t always been easy for Susanna.

In her own words, quitting alcohol felt “like the end of a relationship you’re not quite ready to say is over. ”

But with radiant skin, a slimmer figure, and a calmer mind, Susanna Reid has proved that sometimes vanity can be the most powerful motivator of all.

“Alcohol was ruining my face.  Now, I’ve taken back control. ”

And she doesn’t care who knows it.