John Partridge, known for his role in Eastenders, has revealed that participating in MasterChef was a transformative experience that helped him overcome a period of heavy drinking and drug use following his mother’s death.

The 47-year-old actor recently emerged as the winner of the BBC’s popular cooking competition, surpassing reality star Spencer Matthews and former rugby player Martin Bayfield in the final episode aired on Friday. Partridge attributes the show with aiding his recovery and personal growth.

Appearing on Loose Women on Monday, Partridge shared that the final held a deeply personal significance for him. He described the experience as extraordinary, from start to finish.

Champion: Former Eastenders star John Partridge has credited MasterChef for saving him after he descended into a spiral of indulging in alcohol and drugs after his mother died

“My mother passed away on April 13, 2017, and exactly one year later, on April 13, 2018, I won MasterChef,” he recounted. “During that final cook, I felt as though I had an angel watching over me.”

Partridge carried his mother’s wooden spoon with him during the competition, feeling her presence as he cooked. “She was definitely there, helping me stir that custard,” he reflected. “It was a truly monumental moment for me.”

John, who was known for his party boy ways while starring as Christian Clarke in EastEnders, told the Loose Women panel he’s now been sober for one year.

‘I’m one year sober today,’ he explained. ‘For the first two weeks, I would just go to a supermarket, I’d buy ingredients and I’d come home and cook to distract myself.

One year sober: The actor, 47, was crowned champion of the BBC cookery competition ahead of reality star Spencer Matthews and ex-rugby player Martin Bayfield on Friday night’s final

‘I said, I want to do that programme […] I was doing The Real Full Monty and MasterChef at the same time and I just started talking. 

‘That’s all it was. I talked about having cancer and just the talking about it, what I’m so grateful [about is] that they allowed me to continue that conversation [on MasterChef]. They allowed me through the programme to keep talking.’

On why he had struggled to speak up before. the Celebrity Big Brother star said: ‘I was embarrassed and ashamed. I haven’t worked it out yet.’

He added: ‘I went to NA [Narcotics Anonymous] for, not for long, but they deal with everything.  

Transformed: The former soap star John, who was known for his party boy ways while starring in EastEnders (L in 2008), told the Loose Women panel he’s now been sober for one year

‘I wasn’t just drinking, I was using drugs as well. I didn’t go for very long because I couldn’t find a way to speak in there. I was embarrassed, I couldn’t find the words to share there.

‘I was embarrassed that I couldn’t handle it. I was embarrassed that I couldn’t find a way to be cool with it all. On the surface, people thought I was cool with it all.’ 

He continued: ‘When I started cooking through the show, cooking the food from my past has helped me living in the present. 

‘Going back and remembering that cheese and onion pie with my mum and that custard tart and that black pudding… I’m so grateful for it.’    

Tragic: In candid scenes which aired on Friday’s episode of MasterChef, the former EastEnders actor admitted that his addiction occurred after his mother (pictured) passed away

Getting help: John said he went to Narcotics Anonymous following his mother’s death because he was using drink and taking drugs

Speaking of his partying days, the theatre star said: ‘There are many times in life when you could say I hit rock bottom but I sort of just rolled. 

‘I was quite a happy drunk, I wasn’t mean, it just went on too long. Lots of the time me and Jon [Tsouras, who he has been in a civil partnership with since 2011] weren’t together, but Jon’s kind of sober now too.

‘I was so anxious, I was so afraid. Any form of addiction is about not wanting to feel, actually wanting to feel anything but yourself Me stopping that was my first step in allowing that.’

During a candid scene that aired on Friday’s Celebrity MasterChef final, the star admitted that his addiction occurred after his mother tragically passed away after battling Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 

Heartbroken: The star said there was his mother’s death had a ‘profound’ effect on him that will stick with him for life

Breaking down in tears, he said: ‘Mum had Alzheimer’s, it was rough. It had a profound effect on me. 

‘I will carry that with me my entire life. Mum passed away and I completely broke down. My life was rapidly spinning out of control with substance abuse and alcohol. 

‘I would get up and go to the supermarket, I would buy groceries and I would stand here and cook all day. 

‘So I didn’t have a minute in the day to think about something else.  That’s what cooking did for me. I’ve been clean for seven months, sober 185 days and it’s amazing.’

Winner: Speaking during the final episode of MasterChef, he said ‘I’ve been clean for seven months, sober 185 days and it’s amazing’ he then thanked cooking for saving him