For years he was known as the Made In Chelsea ‘bad boy’ who partied excessively in high-end nightclubs.
But Spencer Matthews has revealed that it was the anger he harbored at losing his brother at the age of ten that led him to begin abusing alcohol at a young age.
In an emotional interview in the new edition of the Mail. Podcast Everything I Know About MeThe star said he rejects the term “childhood trauma” and that the therapy he sought after his brother disappeared descending Mount Everest 25 years ago made him feel “uncomfortable.”
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Matthews, 35, whose older brother James is married to Pippa Middleton, said: “I harbored a lot of anger for many years and terrible feelings towards people who I believed had made mistakes that led to my brother’s death.”
“That’s how I felt growing up, I would get drunk, talk about it and let off steam by getting really angry from time to time.
Spencer Matthews has revealed the “anger” he felt over his brother Michael’s death on Everest and how it caused him problems with alcohol when he was “very young”.
In an emotional interview on the Mail’s new Everything I Know About Me podcast, the star said he rejects the term “childhood trauma” and that the therapy he sought after his brother disappeared descending Mount Everest 15 years ago made him feel ” uncomfortable”.
“It was a really strange time in my life where I was drinking heavily, often at a very young age.”
Matthews, who is married to Irish influencer Vogue Williams, remained on Made in Chelsea for ten seasons from 2011 to 2015 before seeking therapy for his alcoholism in 2018 and, a father of three, has been teetotal ever since.
Reflecting on his therapy during the podcast, he said: ‘I’ve sought help for my alcoholism and what keeps coming back is this trauma that I suffered as a child.
‘I don’t like the idea that something happened to me and therefore I became a certain way.
‘I have always felt uncomfortable when I went to therapy and they asked me what your parents were like. And I’m like, my parents are great, leave them alone.
He continued: ‘I hate blaming circumstances beyond my control for my alcohol abuse. I’ve always felt uncomfortable with that. My decision to abuse alcohol for many years was my decision and I was conscious when I did so.’
Matthews’ older brother Michael became the youngest Briton to conquer Mount Everest in 1999 at the age of 23, but fell to his death while descending alone in a 100mph snowstorm.
His father, David Matthews,’s attempt to bring a manslaughter case against three Everest guides for negligence on the mountain was rejected in 2006.
Matthews’ older brother Michael became the youngest Briton to conquer Mount Everest in 1999 at the age of 23, but fell to his death while descending alone in a 100mph snowstorm.
Spencer shares children Theodore, five, Gigi, three, and Otto, 18 months, with Vogue Williams. Last year, Spencer starred in Finding Michael, a documentary about his brother’s unfortunate journey.
Spencer headlined Finding Michael, a documentary about her brother’s ill-fated journey, last year.
He said: “I can tell you how it made me feel, I grew up believing throughout my teenage years that Mike had been murdered by someone who made mistakes.”
“These particular people made mistakes that led to my brother’s death.”
Matthews shares his children Theodore, five, Gigi, three, and Otto, 18 months, with Ms Williams.
The Mail’s latest podcast, Everything I Know About Me, explores the lives of some of our most fascinating public figures, the highs, lows and in-betweens told in their own words.
