Once Britain’s most controversial funnyman, Daniel O’Reilly — aka Dapper Laughs — has just marked a powerful personal milestone: 1,000 days sober.
After years of chaotic drinking, drug abuse, and a public downfall that saw him “cancelled,” Dan is now clean, clear-headed, and channelling his energy into something new: M.A.T.E., his men’s mental health charity, officially launching this week.
Dan says: “I’m back from the brink. Now it’s my mission to help other blokes fighting the same battles I was, change their lives — for their families. Whatever it takes. We’ve already built a 55,000-strong Facebook community, all helping each other and sharing lived experience, so no man going through mental health or addiction problems has to face it alone. But there’s still so much more to do.”
This year has marked a colossal comeback for a man who truly hit rock bottom — selling out a 60-date UK tour and writing, producing, and starring in his new film Sessions. The film explores how “sesh culture” has gripped a generation, pulled men away from their families, and how shame and guilt are contributing to suicide. (Sessions is due for release later this year.)
It’s a far cry from the days when Dan was reeling from addiction, the death of his father, and the collapse of his family and career. He admits he felt suicidal: “In the UK, it’s our culture to drink at every opportunity. So when you can’t regulate your drink and drug usage, you run the risk of ruining every special occasion — birthdays, anniversaries, even funerals. I couldn’t get sober for my own wedding, which I regret. The memories of my babies being born are blurred by ‘wetting the babies’ heads’ that went on for days. I’d stay up all night on cocaine benders, and once I had a drink, I just couldn’t stop.”
“When my father died and I was cancelled, I couldn’t get a gig at a comedy club or any work for nearly seven years. My coping mechanism was destroying me. The combination of booze, drugs, and my ADHD made me think I was becoming bipolar. I was spiralling, crying my eyes out uncontrollably at times.”
“When I had suicidal thoughts, I even called The Samaritans — ironically, I was high at the time — but it saved my life.”
The comedy star says he’s lucky he could afford detox treatment and counselling. He recalls being handed a leaflet and told he’d need to wait months when he went to hospital and finally asked for help. Now, he’s determined to raise money for lads who can’t afford the support that saved him — and every day, he finds motivation to stay clean and sober for his family and the growing M.A.T.E. community.
In the UK, 75% of suicides are male — a statistic Dan says weighs heavily on his mind:
“I’ve got my fourth kid on the way, and I’m proud to say I’m 1,000 days clean and sober. But I nearly didn’t make it here. My children very nearly didn’t have a father. Men need to stop bottling it up, thinking it’s normal to fight these battles alone. They need to let go of the judgment and know it’s alright to be vulnerable and seek help.”
Dan’s M.A.T.E. charity officially launches with a comedy night: Stand-Up Comedy for M.A.T.E.s, on July 18th at indigo at The O2, raising money for vital support services — including therapy and dry houses — for men who urgently need help. Tickets available here:
https://www.axs.com/uk/events/947030/stand-up-comedy-for-mates-tickets?skin=indigo
