Actress Stephanie Davis has spoken out for the first time since her Hollyoaks contract was terminated.
The 22-year-old admitted that she turned to booze to help cope with depression following the death of her grandmother.
Along with depression, Stephanie also blames the pressures of fame for her downfall.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said:“I will hold my hands up and admit I’ve been drinking too much.
“I’ve been struggling for a while and booze was an escape for me.”
The young actress found the soap’s schedule too much to cope with as she continued to party into the weekend.
She told the paper:“I usually worked six days a week. My only day off was a Thursday but I went out most Friday and Saturdays.”
Stephanie also openly apologised to the soap for how she dealt with her demons and the effect it had on the cast.
“I want to apologise to the show for how I handled the situation. I was absolutely exhausted.
“Something just clicked inside me and I thought, ‘I can’t do this any more’.”
When Stephanie walked away from the set, a producer then visited her at home to terminate her contract.
Stephanie insists that she does not have a problem with alcohol and has managed to steer clear of booze since leaving the soap.
She added: “I’m a normal 22-year-old girl. I like to have a good time but I know my limits. Now I want the world to see who I really am.”