BILLIE Faiers' stepdad has shared a nasty injury he received to his face at the height of his dependence on alcohol.
The former TOWIE star congratulated Dave Chatwood for his sobriety after he shared a photo showing a large bruise on half of his face that happened a year ago when he was still drinking.
Dave posted the photo to Instagram and showed how the giant, purple bruise covered much of his face from underneath his right eye, and down his cheek to his neck.
"One year ago thank you all," Dave captioned the post, referring to the ongoing support he'd received from the public, including Billie and her sister, Sam Faiers.
Both women reacted to the post, telling their stepdad how proud they were of his recovery.
"Forever proud of you pups," Billie wrote in the comments of the post.
billie faiers
Sam added: "You made it dad!"
Another person commented: "Huge congratulations Dave!! You must feel amazing being able to post this! You showed those people that may have doubted you!! Your family and friends will be so proud of you. Well done! You did this!"
And a fourth wrote: "One year sober, what an amazing achievement. Well done."
Both Billie and Sam refer to their Dave as their father and have documented his struggles with addiction on their reality TV show and social media respectively.
Last year, Billie broke down in tears during an episode of her ITVBe reality show.
Another hard to watch scene from Billie & Greg: The Family Diaries showed Dave intoxicated.
Billie's husband Greg Shepherd can be heard telling his father-in-law: "You need to go to the hospital, mate."
"I ain't going to no more hospital!" Dave slurred.
In August 2024, Billie's sister Sam confirmed Dave had been admitted to rehab for alcoholism.
In a lengthy statement, Sam spoke of the family's admiration of Dave for facing up to his struggles with booze.
What to do if you think are an alcoholic
IF you’re struggling with alcohol addiction, the most important thing is to recognise the problem and seek support - You don’t have to face it alone.
Seek Professional Help
- GP or Doctor – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options.
- Therapists or Counsellors – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies.
- Rehab or Detox Programmes – If physical dependence is severe, medically supervised detox may be necessary.
Consider Support Groups
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support.
- SMART Recovery – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment.
- Local Support Groups – Many communities have groups tailored to different needs.
In another scene from The Family Diaries, Dave can be seen telling the cameras: "Two weeks of sobriety.
"Going into my first twelve steps of living a clean life."
Dave was previously married to Sam and Billie's mum Suzie and they have always treated him as their father.
