Comedian Dave Hughes opens up about his struggles with addiction, past and present, in an upcoming episode of Australian Story, airing March 10.
Here’s the Lowdown: Hughes, known for his brutally honest comedy, reveals for the first time terrifying details about his childhood, including his father’s battle with alcohol addiction. Hughes himself struggled with alcohol before becoming sober in his early 20s. He now believes he may have replaced one addiction with another: work.
What This Means Now: This episode gives a more profound insight into a very public figure. Hughes’s admission of a possible “work addiction” adds another to the story of his personal battles, raising questions about the nature of addiction and recovery.
The Bigger Picture: The episode, airing at 8 pm Monday, March 10th, on ABC, sees Hughes return to his hometown of Warrnambool. Friends Rove McManus and Kate Langbroek, along with Hughes’ wife and children, contribute their perspectives on a man described as both contradictory and complex. Rove McManus calls Hughes’s dedication a ‘workaholic’ lifestyle, that might not have been explored previously. The program looks at the driving forces behind Hughes’ comedic career and its impact on his personal life.
