Scott Mills: Why the Radio 1 DJ is hoping Dry January will change his drinking habits

SCOTT Mills isn’t a man to shy away from tough challenges.

 

Scott Mills becomes a dryathlete for January

 

In 2011 he trekked 100 miles over five days across the Kenyan desert in searing 40-degree heat for Comic Relief.

In 2014 he paired up with Joanne Clifton to compete in Strictly Come Dancing, an experience he describes as “terrifying”.

And last November he conquered his fear of heights to abseil his way down Blackpool Tower for Children In Need. But will his latest undertaking make or break him?

 

This month Scott has joined thousands of “dryathletes” who have committed to giving up alcohol for the month of January to raise funds for the charity Cancer Research UK.

Compared to other challenges I’ve done this doesn’t look that tough but ask me again in a week

DJ Scott Mills

 

The high-profile Dryathlon campaign saw 35,000 dryathletes raise more than £4million for the charity.

“Compared to other challenges I’ve done this doesn’t look that tough but ask me again in a week or so how I’m doing and I might be struggling. So far, so good though,” says the 41-year-old DJ who lives in London.

During his first week of the challenge Scott covered for Nick Grimshaw on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, getting up at 4.30am to start the show at 6.30am. This week he is back to his usual routine of working the 1pm-4.30pm afternoon slot for Radio 1.

 

“That means I get up at around 7.30am or 8am and go to the gym and then on to work, or sometimes into work and then go for a session with my personal trainer before starting the show. After only a few days of being off drinking I do feel more productive and more energised and mentally clearer, which is good,” he says.

Although Dryathlon is primarily a fundraising venture – the 2013 campaign raised more than £4million – the charity says taking a month off the booze can have many potential health benefits.

Last week the Government issued new guidance on alcohol consumption, the first time the advice has been revised for 20 years. Men are now encouraged to drink no more than 14 units a week, the same as for women.

 

The radio DJ described his time on Strictly Come Dancing as terrifying

 

Everyone is encouraged to abstain from drinking for several days a week. The landmark report by Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies reverses the long-held belief that red wine can cut the risk of cancer, heart disease and memory loss when drunk in moderation.

This is because the protective effect of alcohol against heart disease has now been shown not to apply to men (only in postmenopausal women and only in small amounts) and the increased risk of developing cancer is now better understood.

“The reason we need to limit our alcohol intake, and be mindful of it, is that drinking does raise the risk of developing some cancers,” says Nicola Smith of Cancer Research UK.

“Alcohol is linked to seven different types of cancer – including bowel, breast and mouth cancer – so the benefits of lowering the amount of alcohol you drink go beyond the obvious bonuses of reducing your calorie intake and boosting your bank balance.

“In the body alcohol is broken down into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde which has been shown to damage DNA and cause cancer. But there are other ways that alcohol can cause cancer, too, including affecting hormones and multiplying the damage caused by tobacco, making it much worse if people smoke and drink alcohol at the same time.”

 

Scott lost both is grandparents to cancer

 

The subject of cancer is one that is close to Scott’s heart as he lost both his grandmothers to cancer, one to a particularly aggressive form of the disease.

“Seeing my gran die of liver cancer was very hard. It was a very aggressive cancer so she didn’t have very long after the diagnosis,” he explains.

“I think everyone knows someone who has been affected by this very cruel illness. That is why I was keen to work with the charity.

“I started working with a personal trainer last November. Now doing this Dryathlon is really helping me focus on my health and fitness. I know already how good abstaining from alcohol feels.

“A few years ago I was feeling pretty run down and unhealthy. I’d been working really hard, doing a lot of freshers’ gigs for university students where I often socialised in bars and had a drink.

“So I just decided to give up alcohol for three months. I didn’t find it that difficult as I just wanted to give my body a break.

“People came up to me after a while and commented that I had lost weight and that my eyes looked brighter and my skin looked better. So hopefully after this Dryathlon I will be looking and feeling better.”

Scott went through a period in his mid-20s when he was drinking heavily after losing a close friend and then on one occasion in 2001 he went on air drunk for an early morning show after a hard night of partying at the Brit Awards.

“It was a hard time but I eventually pulled myself out of it,” he says.

“My work pattern changed. I was working in the late afternoon, going out in the evening and going to bed very late. I could see back then how easy it was to fall into a lifestyle of drinking too much.”

  

According to the charity a month of booze can have many health benefits

 

Scott says he hopes that taking part in the Dryathlon will bring about a permanent change in his drinking habits.

“I know how great I am going to feel when I get to January 31 without having a drink.

“When you do something like this it resets the body and I doubt very much I’ll go back to drinking during the week.

“I’ll probably just have a few drinks at the weekend when out socialising with friends. And of course I am raising money for charity, which is great. 2016 has got off to a great healthy start for me. If I can do it, anyone can.”

Scott Mills is supporting Cancer Research UK’s Dryathlon campaign by giving up alcohol this January.

Sign up at dryathlon.org to become a dryathlete and raise money to help beat cancer sooner.