Kirsty Gallacher says the pain from her divorce contributed to her drink-driving.
The 43-year-old TV presenter – who was found three times over the legal limit in August 2017 – split with her rugby player husband Paul Sampson in 2014 and following the "traumatic" divorce, Kirsty struggled to adapt to shared custody of her two sons – nine-year-old Jude and 12-year-old Oscar – and says that led to her two year driving ban.
Kirsty explained: "I was in a very bad place with the divorce and issues to do with the children’s schedule.
"I was exhausted – I’d worked really hard that week. I’m not good with alcohol – a couple of glasses, that’s me – but one of my friends was celebrating something, so we carried on drinking wine."
The ‘Sky Sports News’ host was on her way to pick up her kids from their father’s when she was stopped by police. Kirsty was found to be driving erratically through Eton at 11am, which led to a two year driving ban and 100 hours of community service.
Describing the events of that morning, Kirsty shared: "I took all the precautions and I felt absolutely fine. But I hadn’t slept very well that night.
"I was so stressed, I hadn’t eaten much and when you’re going through all these things your body metabolises differently, so my system wasn’t all right. If I’d known that I wouldn’t have got in my car."
Now, after attending a driving rehab course, Kirsty is back on the road but she still relives the moment.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine, she added: "The whole thing was horrific. I misjudged what I was doing, I felt I was going to be all right. I wasn’t thinking straight. It was very bad and very un-Kirsty because I’ve always been a good girl.
"But I think unfortunately a lot of people do it without realising. How many people have got up the next morning and probably been way over the limit? We all make mistakes, life’s not perfect … and in the limelight you’re apparently not able to put a foot wrong."
Kirsty Gallacher’s divorce led her to drink-driving
