JENNI MURRAY: Why I’m finally calling time on drink
British columnist Jenni Murray reveals why she’s trying to become teetotal
To dinner earlier in the week with my best friend, Sally, at our favourite restaurant where you can sit cosily outdoors despite the racket of torrential rain pinging down on the roof. We ordered our usual — beetroot carpaccio, steak, chips, spinach and a bottle of Merlot.
Halfway through she says, ‘Catch up. You’re not drinking your wine.’ ‘No,’ I replied, ‘I’m trying to give up.’ ‘What?’ she laughed. ‘Again?’
She’s absolutely right. Trying to become teetotal reminds me of the many days when I determined that I would lose the weight I had gained and stick to the strictest of diets. But, inevitably, someone would tempt me with, ‘Oh, just one portion of treacle pudding won’t do you any harm.’ I invariably convinced myself it would be just this once. It wasn’t, and the yo-yo pattern began again.
I succumbed this week to just half a glass of the red. I should not have been led astray by the pal who has long been my drinking buddy — generally sharing a bottle and, at times, in the old days, managing two.
No more! This time I am determined that I will give up completely and never again wake up feeling sick and tired.
Success at keeping the weight off only came with the drastic solution of having surgery to reduce the size of my stomach, but there is, as far as I know, no such medical treatment to arrest the slide into alcoholism. It’s going to take all my willpower to say farewell to the demon drink.
It is, I fear, a danger a great many of us face. The past 16 months have made the anticipation of ‘wine o’clock’ a more attractive proposition than it’s ever been.
As Stay Home became the rule we must all obey, the days began to stretch ahead with nothing more to recommend them than a short walk in the park, a spot of communication with someone on Zoom, a struggle with homework for those with school-age children, a binge on a box set and bed.
Sitting down with a drink felt like the only bit of real pleasure to be had, even if, in my case, you were forced to do it on your own.
I started off with wine — just one glass, and never before the sun had gone over the yardarm. Even when it was getting dark at four in the afternoon, I never drank before 6pm, but then the one glass turned to two, then to three.
A friend suggested a vodka and slimline tonic would have fewer calories and could make a good long drink which would last all night. It didn’t — a single shot stretched to a double and then another glass and then another.
There have been numerous studies which have analysed the effects of the pandemic on drinking alcohol. In every case it’s been found that prolonged social isolation has led to an increase in consumption. The effects of excess can be disastrous for the liver, heart and mental health.
It’ll be hard as opening up continues, with Freedom Day on July 19 heralding the return of parties, weddings and reunions, but it feels right to quit completely.
I’ve tried alcohol-free beers, wines and mixers such as Seedlip — none of which tasted pleasant, and it felt a bit like drinking decaffeinated coffee. What’s the point if it doesn’t give you a kick?
Slimline tonic with lemon and ice or a spicy Virgin Mary do me just fine. I can always pretend there’s vodka in it. Now to keep it up and resist all temptation.
Don’t panic Emma, nerves do for us all
‘Like everyone who witnessed the arrival of Emma Raducanu (pictured) at Wimbledon, I got excited by the prospect of a British woman who might win the tournament,’ says Jenni
Like everyone who witnessed the arrival of Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon, I got excited by the prospect of a British woman who might win the tournament. She ticked every box. She’s beautiful, charming, clever and played wonderful tennis.
My first thought after being so impressed by her initial win was, ‘For goodness’ sake, don’t spoil her. Don’t force her to bear the weight of the country’s hopes and expectations.
‘She’s too young to be thrust into the limelight and told she has a smile worth £3 million.’
I was not at all surprised that she was forced to withdraw due to ‘breathing difficulties’. It looked to me like she suffered a panic attack.
I know what it’s like to be overcome by nerves. I was physically sick every time I had to do a gruelling interview — with Margaret Thatcher or Hillary Clinton — but I was a woman, not an 18-year-old girl, and I learned to control the terror.
Maybe Emma should have stayed in the Juniors and had another year to learn how to manage those nerves.
The future of the face mask is going to cause quite a degree of consternation when July 19 comes around.
I can’t wait to be rid of mine and be able to walk around the streets and shops again without feeling like I’m living in some faceless horror movie populated by gangsters and zombies. I want to see people smile again. I want to be able to make out what they’re saying. It’s hard when you can’t lip read as well as listen.
I’m double-jabbed, test myself regularly and will avoid public transport so as not to be a risk to anyone else. I think that’s fair enough.
Nation of dog lovers? Not so much
We’ve always thought of ourselves as a nation of dog lovers, but how much consideration do we give to the animals? The Kennel Club found that 23 per cent of owners think they’ll be unable to give their pet a suitable home when life and work begin to go back to normal. So those loving companions, bought to keep the family happy during the pandemic, will either be left alone and anxious; shipped off to a rescue centre; or simply abandoned.
When will such selfish people think before they act and understand that a dog is not just for lockdown, it’s for life?
I refuse to watch Love Island
Contestants Liberty and Jake from this year’s Love Island series
So pleased that I stuck to my guns and kept my promise to myself to never watch Love Island.
I read that one of the men, after completing a toe-sucking challenge, said: ‘I’m up for it because it’s all a laugh.’
No it isn’t. It’s sad. Sex, swearing and bodies in bikinis is what it’s about, as well as young men and women being driven to despair.
Why do some mothers boast about watching it with their daughters, and others that they’re switching off their feminism and mental-health awareness to watch?
Not much of an example to their impressionable girls.
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