Parental Alcoholism: Brought Up by Booze

Introduction

Calum Best, the son of football legend George Best, is not only known for his father’s footballing greatness but also for growing up as the child of an alcoholic. In this raw and emotional BBC Children in Need special, Brought Up By Booze, Calum faces the painful reality of being raised by an alcoholic parent. Throughout the program, he meets some of the 1.3 million children living with parental alcoholism, sharing personal stories from his own childhood while connecting with others who understand his struggles.

As Calum reflects on how his father’s addiction continues to impact his life, he embarks on a journey across the UK to meet young people who, despite experiencing chaos and neglect, are determined not to repeat the cycle of addiction. Through these encounters, Calum begins to confront the ongoing effects of his father’s alcoholism, questioning how George’s addiction shaped his own future and whether he will ever fully understand the illness that ultimately led to his father’s death.

This intimate and often heart-wrenching documentary offers a glimpse into the devastating impact alcohol can have on the lives of children, as Calum grapples with his complex relationship with his father’s addiction and the lingering effects on his own life.

Quotes

“Thinking about growing up, one of my strongest memories was coming to Manchester with dad when I was 11. We stayed here at my dad’s favourite hotel. Coming back, I’m reminded of how unpredictable and confusing being around an alcoholic can really be … I was left overnight not knowing where my dad had gone.”

“Understanding what adults do when they’re drunk is tough when you’re a kid. The girls I’m meeting at London Zoo have all had an alcoholic parent or relative. They have support through a self-help group called Alateen.”

“As soon as I started to get older, I was going to friend’s houses and I’d see that none of them were making their own dinner. None of them were making sure that their mom or dad was in from the pub and in bed or somewhere safe. I think it started to click with me then that there’s something wrong, but because I idolized my dad, I didn’t want to admit it.“

“I actually walked into my mom’s room and found about 20-30 empty bottles of vodka just laying across the side of the bed. It scared me because I thought ‘how can anyone drink that much?’“

“You say ‘Dont let me drink’, but what can I do? I am a child so I depend on you. You can only stop yourself, so what can I do? I’m sorry now I can’t help you, I don’t know how to. You say ‘Don’t let me drink’, but what can I do?”

“It’s still hard for me to accept that alcohol took my father’s life. But some children have to say goodbye while their parents are still alive. Danielle is getting married next year but her mother won’t be there. Her mother’s drinking got out of control when Danielle was just 11 and she still drinks heavily today.”

“Over half of the people here will have children at home who have been directly affected by their addiction. For every one person addicted there’s going to be at least 3-4 people connected to them who are affected by addiction on very much the same levels as the addict.”