Christine McGuinness has shared a heartfelt video revealing that her father has overcome his heroin addiction after decades of struggling.
The model, 35, beamed with pride on Friday as she shared a montage of Johnny’s recovering, after battling with addiction for 40 years.
After decades of heartache, Christine opened up with her fans and admitted that she never thought she would say the words that her father is free from drugs.
Heroin is a Class A drug – meaning it is illegal to possess or sell the substance. Those found in possession of the life-destroying drug can be jailed for up to seven years and can also be fined an unlimited fee.
While supplying the drug can lead to life behind bars. The drug is highly addictive and can be injected, smoked or snorted and carries the risk of death due to overdose.
Christine McGuiness has shared a heartfelt video after she revealed that her father has overcome his heroin addiction after decades of struggling
The model she shared a montage with her 722,000 followers documenting Johnny’s recovering from his addiction
Christine shared insight into her father’s addiction struggles while praising him for overcoming his demons
Her sincere clip showed the two at different stages of his recovery as she has watched him struggle with the addiction since she was a child, which has had a strain on their relationship.
It showed times of the two of them going through harder times when she was younger, gave an insight on his recovery and when he finally became clean.
Alongside the honest post, she captioned: ‘For all the times Ive said what I thought was our last ‘goodbye’ Today was the best Hello… My dad is the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever seen him, my dad is off heroin. I never thought I’d say those words.
‘If you love someone in recovery, never lose hope, its never too late. My dad is 62, he’s been an addict for 4 decades and now he’s a big strong 16st man! Dad, I am so proud of you.’
Her fellow celebrity friends flooded the blonde-beauty’s post with supportive messages.
Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison wrote: ‘Love you and your dad so much’
Another wrote: ‘I am so glad he is in recovery. Sending you so much love, a lot of heartache when a loved one is an addict.’
While hundreds of other fans congratulated Christine on the positive news.
After decades of heartache, Christine opened up with her fans and admitted that she never thought she would say the words that her father is free from drugs
Her sincere clip showed the two at different stages of his recovery as she has watched him struggle with the addiction since she was a child, which has had a strain on their relationship
Christine first publicly spoke on her father’s addiction in November, 2021 when she admitted that he would inject himself in front of her when she was a teenager.
She took the opportunity to open up about those struggles first in her book Christine McGuinness: A Beautiful Nightmare.
Johnny’s troubles started when she was young, with the model writing that her mother Joanne left him when Christine crawled across one of his used needles when she was a one-year-old baby.
In an extrct, the media personality told how her dad is one of the longest living heroin addicts in the UK and said he has never met her children.
She wrote: ‘I saw my dad inject heroin. As a teenager, I struggled with his addiction. I blamed myself. When I became a mum, I kept thinking about how he chose drugs over his own kids.
‘But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised it wasn’t as simple a choice for him. Addiction is an illness.’
It showed times of the two of them going through harder times when she was younger, gave an insight on his recovery and when he finally became clean
Christine first publicly spoke on her father’s addiction in November, 2021 when she admitted that he would inject himself in front of her when she was a teenager
Joanne moved away from Blackpool to Merseyside with Christine and sister Billie-Jo, and despite Johnny’s addiction, Christine said she had a good relationship with her father and loves him dearly.
However, the star admitted he has never met her husband Paddy or their children Penelope, Leo, both eight, and Felicity, five, as she doesn’t feel comfortable with the thought of them being introduced to an addict.
Christine did offer her father the chance to meet Paddy when she asked him to walk her down the aisle at their wedding in 2011.
He said yes but then backed out on the day as she was getting into her bridal gown and said he couldn’t make it, so Christine walked down the aisle by herself.
Christine said her grandparents have tried to help him and put him into rehab but she doesn’t think there’s any turning back at this point.
The star also revealed doctors previously thought they’d have to amputate his leg due to the damage done by using dirty needles over the years.
Johnny’s troubles started when she was young, with the model writing that her mother Joanne left him when Christine crawled across one of his used needles when she was a baby
But after decades of working with him and separating him from her children, husband and personal life, the star was delighted to reveal he is now clean and is strong ’16st man’
She has also been contacted by hospitals on several occasions to warn her that Johnny may die.
Although Christine said she still loves her father, she doesn’t think she will ever be able to respect him.
His absence during important moments in her life made Christine even closer with her mother Joanne.
She wrote: ‘My mum longed for that relationship to work. It broke her heart. I’m so grateful she did leave him and that she got [us] away.’
While Christine has a fractured relationship with her father, she has remained close to her mother.
Last year, Joanne was diagnosed with breast cancer, but this summer, Christine assured fans her mother is ‘doing incredibly well’ having completed her breast cancer treatment.
Taking to Instagram and posting a snap of her cuddling her beloved parent, she penned the following note for her followers: ‘Ma. “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and loved more than you know.”
‘So many of you ask about my mum, she is doing amazingly well, I’m so proud of her. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy is all done now it’s time for her to enjoy life!’
FRANK is a support service that offers information about drugs, plus advice for people who use drugs. Call the FRANK helpline on 0300 123 66 00.