Aimee Lou Wood’s father opens up about destroying her childhood with his drug and alcohol addiction: How cocaine binges left dad fearing he was HIV positive before ending up in a psychiatric ward

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Aimee Lou Wood, known for her role in The White Lotus, has opened up about how her father’s struggles with drugs and alcohol impacted her upbringing.

Mike Wood, 66, confessed he caused considerable disruption during his daughters Aimee-Lou and Emily’s childhood, explaining that his struggles with alcohol and cocaine almost cost him his life several times.

In a new podcast with EastEnders actress Karen Henthorn, Mike admitted he wasn’t a good role model for his daughters. He explained that he frequently left them with their mother while he was out socializing with footballers and other celebrities.

He admitted his struggles with alcohol and drugs led to frequent fights, leaving him with injuries like a broken face and lost teeth. At one point, he even ended up in a psychiatric ward after a suicide attempt, fueled by fears he’d contracted HIV.

Mike shared a home with Aimee-Lou and Emily, a make-up artist and popular Instagram personality, until 2001. That year, his wife, Alison, asked him to leave their house in Stockport, Manchester.

Aimee-Lou, age 31 and the star of Marks & Spencer’s Christmas ad, has previously discussed how a difficult relationship with her father and feelings of disconnection led her to pursue acting. She also struggled with bulimia and body dysmorphia as a child.

In the first episode of his new podcast, Woody Unscripted, Mike and Karen interviewed Mick McCarthy, a former Republic of Ireland player and manager, who also happens to be Mike’s best friend of 41 years and godfather to their daughter, Aimee-Lou. The Daily Mail was given an exclusive early listen.

Mike, who has overcome addiction, recently shared that he deeply regrets how his past harmful behavior impacted his daughters. He revealed this experience inspired Aimee-Lou Wood’s new BBC sitcom, Film Club, in which she both writes and stars as a young woman dealing with mental health challenges while living with a single mother.

He shared that he admires both of his daughters for being so open about their struggles with emotions and anxiety. He noted they’ve discussed these things publicly, both on Instagram and in interviews, which he believes can be inspiring to others.

Aimee and Emily, who both experience neurodiversity, connected with a film about a girl with agoraphobia and her mother. The story resonated with their own experiences growing up with a single mother and two sisters. They appreciated how openly the film dealt with these challenges, and it was empowering for them to see characters embracing and sharing their vulnerabilities.

To be honest, I wasn’t a great role model when my children were young, and I really regret that. I’ve apologized and tried to make things right over the years. I’ve been in recovery for over 20 years and have done a lot of therapy, and I hope that’s encouraged my kids to be open about their own struggles. They’re both wonderful people, and I love them very much.

Mike admitted he struggled with excessive drinking for many years. Shortly after meeting Mick in 1984 at a beauty pageant, he was seriously injured – suffering a fractured skull in a pointless fight at a large estate.

He explained that Mick had asked him to look after his wife, Fiona, during the 1990 World Cup in Italy, while Mick was traveling with the Irish team.

This came after a tough time for Mike, who was going through a divorce, drinking a lot, and facing the likely failure of his used car business.

He explained that he’d spent six months going out constantly, drinking and partying. This led to him losing all his money and a business, leaving him in a difficult situation.

I actually needed more support than my friend at the World Cup. I thought I was taking her, but she ended up looking after me after I had a breakdown following the first three games.

Those first few days were a blur, mostly fueled by alcohol. Then the weight of everything really sank in. I’d been single for about six months, going out a lot and being with many different people, and I became convinced I had HIV and was going to get AIDS. It was a really frightening time.

I was caught up in a lot of things and running a small business that I knew wouldn’t last. I was spending all my money on fun – parties, gambling, everything – and I was aware of it, but I kept pretending it wasn’t happening.

Honestly, it felt so surreal, like I was floating outside of reality. You’d think being at a football match would be a dream come true, and believe me, I knew how lucky I was to be there. But I remember being at this one hotel – I can’t even recall which one now – and just… needing to escape. I’d simply had enough.

I went up to the sixth floor, even though I get dizzy easily, and stepped out onto the ledge. I actually considered jumping. I still don’t know what stopped me, but I remember looking down and seeing a lot of people below. I was worried I’d fall and hurt someone. Or maybe I was thinking about how upset my parents would be. I’m not sure which, but it was definitely the lowest point in my life.

Mike returned to Manchester and eventually ended up in a psychiatric hospital, feeling like his situation was similar to the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

He recounted meeting someone claiming to be Henry VIII, who genuinely believed his own story. Then, a woman asked him to withdraw a million pounds and donate it to Children in Need. He was struck by how convinced both individuals were in their requests.

Mike remembered talking to a patient who had been admitted after self-harming. The patient insisted he was in a hospital with historical figures like Henry VIII and a very wealthy woman. When Mike asked what had happened to him (the patient), the patient turned the question around and asked, “What happened to you?”

I started talking about Mick McCarthy, and the guy immediately said, “Oh, Captain Fantastic” – that was Mick’s nickname during the World Cup. I then told him I was Mick’s close friend and had been looking after his wife while she traveled the world. I realized later he probably thought I was completely out of my mind!

He admitted that cocaine worsened his bad behavior, and described how a friend, Mick, often acted like an older brother, pulling him away from fights in bars and clubs.

I recall a time when my daughter, Aimee-Lou, was little and my wife was pregnant with Emily. Manchester City had just been relegated, and I was feeling pretty down about it! I ended up at a pub in Manchester, hoping to take my mind off things with a drink.

He recalled being at the Jolly Sailor pub after Norwich City had been relegated, losing to Liverpool. They’d all just come from the match, and Mick had been with them. He admitted he was a little annoyed at the time.

I believe this happened around 1996. Alison was pregnant with Emily, and I was performing at the Jolly Sailor pub. As part of my act, I used to inflate a condom over my head like a space helmet – it was a silly bit of business. The pub landlord actually popped it with his cigarette! That’s when things started to get strange, and someone put their arm around my shoulder and said, “Woody… let’s go.”

I hadn’t listened to many people over the years, but Mick was definitely one of them – he felt like an older brother to me. If it had been anyone else asking, I would have told them to get lost, but I let Mick convince me to come with him. We walked out of the pub, and a car drove by. The driver slammed on the brakes and shouted, “It’s Mick… Mick McCarthy!” Mick confirmed it was him, then asked if we could get a ride home. We didn’t hesitate and jumped in.

Mike finally went to rehab when his addictions became dangerously severe, and he believes Clare Kennedy, a leading expert in alcoholism recovery and wife of Coronation Street’s Kevin Kennedy (who played Curly Watts), saved his life.

He said: ‘Clare Kennedy was amazing, she used to see me in such a state.

Looking back, I definitely had a phase where I thought the rules didn’t apply to me. I recall one time going to a Man City match after a bit of a run-in with a group of people – honestly, a proper scrap. I was young and surrounded by a… let’s just say, a rough crowd. I knew a lot of people who worked as security at clubs, and it gave me a false sense of invincibility. It led to me acting pretty badly, and I’m not proud of that behavior at all. It was a real learning curve to realize that didn’t make it okay.

I was really at a low point, behaving terribly – I was using drugs and drinking heavily. She saw me at a Manchester City game, looking awful. I’d been badly beaten up – my teeth were knocked out, my lip was stitched, and my nose was broken. Despite that, she came up to me – bless her heart – and asked if I hadn’t suffered enough. I foolishly told her I was okay, and somehow ended up attending a meeting with Clare the next night.

On the podcast, Mick shared stories about his friend Mike, describing him as incredibly kind, generous, and a wonderful person to know.

Honestly, I was so relieved when he said he never saw Mike do cocaine. Like, not even once! He made it super clear – if he had ever seen Mike taking drugs, that would’ve been it for their friendship, completely over. It just… it meant so much to hear him say that, knowing how much he values loyalty and staying clean. It really solidified my opinion of him, you know?

Mick said: ‘We’d play golf, I’d always enjoy his company.

I could simply walk away whenever he acted inappropriately, and I did that several times. I’d just leave him to deal with the consequences of his actions on his own.

I often had to get him out of situations when he’d had a bit too much to drink. Someone would ask us to leave, he’d seem confused and get angry – his temper would flare up – and I’d quickly try to defuse things, put my arm around him, and say, “Let’s go.” It’s happened more than a few times.

I recall you mentioning the drugs. I never actually saw him using them, because if I had, our relationship would have ended immediately.

I occasionally noticed a change in you and just assumed you’d had too much to drink. It wasn’t until you confessed while coughing – admitting you’d been using drugs – that I understood what was really going on.

You showed me a photo of what you looked like before going to rehab, and you were incredibly unwell.

Aimee-Lou gained significant recognition this year in the hit series The White Lotus, building on her earlier success after appearing in Netflix’s Sex Education in 2019.

Following her parents’ divorce, she and her sister were raised by their mother and stepfather. They provided her with the opportunity to attend a private high school, where she discovered and pursued her passion for acting through drama classes.

Two years ago, Aimee-Lou told The Guardian that difficult experiences led her to pursue a career in acting. She had previously explained that many actors, herself included, are drawn to the profession as a way to cope with life’s challenges, either by providing an outlet for emotions or offering a form of protection.

She described her father as a social butterfly in Manchester, always out with celebrities and the Manchester City football team. He was very self-centered and thrived on the attention and admiration he received.

He really put a lot of pressure on my mum. She was incredible, though – she always stepped up to shield us and took on the burden, even when it wasn’t fair. She felt responsible, you know, and she handled it with so much strength.

Honestly, therapy has been a game-changer for me. It’s really helped me understand that everyone’s journey is different. Some people seem to have this smooth, stable life, and then something really difficult happens – a sudden trauma. But for others, it’s not like that at all; they’re constantly dealing with challenges and difficult stuff, one thing after another. It’s been eye-opening to realize that.

For the past 22 years, Mike has maintained his sobriety and has rebuilt his relationship with Aimee-Lou, now communicating with her and their daughter, Emily, regularly. Emily is also a popular social media personality with 160,000 followers on Instagram.

He admitted on the podcast that his life had been chaotic, marked by four divorces and other difficult experiences. He described it as a significant understatement to say things hadn’t been great.

I believe I’ve negatively impacted most people I’ve known, including my own children, through my past actions. If I can positively influence as many people going forward as I negatively influenced in the past, then I’ll feel like I’ve achieved something worthwhile.

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2025-10-27 03:59