Tom Kerridge sheds 12 stone through a minor diet adjustment, motivated by fear of early death - OK! Magazine

Tom Kerridge has shared his experience with alcohol, expressing his fear that his drinking habits might prevent him from reaching the age of 50. Kerridge, who just celebrated this milestone in July, has been known to have a strong association with alcohol.

While the celebrity chef, popular for his appearances on Saturday Kitchen and More Sunday Lunch, might own several pubs, he has disclosed that the drinking culture is not something he feels he can be a part of any longer.

In a guest appearance on Dr Alex George's Stompcast, Kerridge disclosed that he had consumed 75 years' worth of alcohol by his 40th birthday which prompted a major lifestyle change.

"Alcohol was a massive part of my life and still is - I own pubs and sell it passionately. But it's just something I know I can't indulge in anymore," he confessed.

He reasoned that if one is supposed to live till 75, then they have so much alcohol to consume over their lifetime. However, he managed to do it all by the time he was 40.

In light of this, Kerridge quit drinking entirely, fearing that if he continued with his previous habits, he wouldn’t “make it to 50”.

On another note, during a 2018 Radio 4 Desert Island Discs interview, Kerridge talked about an instance of heavy drinking just before his 40th birthday, which caused him to rethink his lifestyle.

"I went cold turkey. I can no longer enjoy alcohol because I've ruined it for myself," he admitted.

Besides giving up alcohol, Kerridge also managed to lose 12 stone in five years by reducing his carb intake. His secret was the 'dopamine diet', which involves having dopamine boosting foods like dairy, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.

Dubbed the 'happy hormone', dopamine not only helps to lift people's spirits but also assists in weight loss.

The Great British Menu judge highlights the need to avoid convenience food. However, he also stresses the importance of "maintaining balance" in how we perceive food and exercise.

"As a chef, I was constantly eating cheese on toast, packets of crisps or snacking through service because they were convenient and easy to get. And I often skipped breakfast as well. I didn’t have any,” he confessed to GQ in 2019.