James McAvoy reveals why he quit drinking after COVID lockdowns

James McAvoy is getting honest about his sobriety journey, as he revealed the warning sign that made him quit alcohol during COVID-19.

Speaking on Chelsea Handler's Dear Chelsea podcast, the X-Men star revealed that during the pandemic the turning point for him with his relationship with alcohol was when he had started drinking alone.

James said, "Before that time in my life [the pandemic], I would never think to have alcohol in the house. I’d never buy it.

"I’d drink like a fish sometimes when we’re out on a night out. Or, if there were people coming over, I’d make sure we had wine and beer or whatever. I’d never think to just, like, have stuff to make drink-drinks in the house, and during lockdown that changed ..."

He continued, "[It] was always a social thing for me. It was always like. 'When I’m with people, I can have a drink and that’s great'. ... It just started to be like, I would have a drink on my own. And it didn’t get like crazy, crazy bad, but I was like: 'I need to nip this in the bud'."

Though quitting alcohol "wasn't a struggle" for James, he sometimes missed drinking during periods of "emotional stress".

The actor also admitted being sober has helped him enjoy everyday life again.

James explained, "I am finding the more and more I’m older, I’m not looking for an altered state, because I’m more and more comfortable in my state."

He added that giving up alcohol helped him "connect with my life again a bit more", saying, "I’m actually a bit scared of f****** with that."