EXCLUSIVE Davinia Taylor, 47, claims infrared saunas 'saved her life' after she gave up her wild lifestyle for sobriety and biohacking
In a revealing and unfiltered conversation, the actress and self-described 'biohacker' sat down with the Mail's Bryony Gordon on The Life of Bryony podcast, to discuss her transformation from party girl to wellness advocate.
The former Hollyoaks star, 47, opens up about addiction, recovery, motherhood, and her unorthodox health rituals - sharing eyebrow-raising insights into the world of hormone hacking, infrared saunas, and the 'real' causes of brain fog.
Davinia, known for her candid social media presence and passion for alternative health, speaks with the same boldness here—claiming certain wellness routines have saved her life and even reversed ageing.
With a tone that's equal parts entertaining and controversial, this is one of the most outspoken episodes yet.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
Discussing her battle with stress and sobriety, Davinia said she now sits in a £200 infrared sauna nightly to detox her liver and mimic the relaxing effects of wine
Discussing her battle with stress and sobriety, Davinia said she now sits in a £200 infrared sauna nightly to detox her liver and mimic the relaxing effects of wine.
She explained: 'I sit in there… have some activated charcoal or something, do a proper detox… go to bed, you'll wake up tip-top.'
Admitting that wine was her 'drug of choice' she explained: 'I really hit right bottom kind of early doors really.
'I was very much white wine. And drinking. White wine vodka, beer didn't get me as much, but I would take that on a very last course of action.
'And weirdly, nicotine didn't get me either. As soon as I put the drink down, nicotine didn't.
'So I was pretty lucky with that accessibility because alcohol is really accessible, drugs and all.
'So it was pretty easy to access my drug of choice, which was why, why, particularly when Tesco is open 24/7.'
'Addiction is not a choice, by the way. It's a body's way of coping with a certain situation.'
PODCAST: Join Bryony Gordon (and a special guest) for your weekly dose of therapy, minus the couch. Listen to all episodes HERE
The actress continued: 'And boom, like I said earlier, it's an evil use when we miss match. So for me to be exposed to so much alcohol was just catastrophic for me.
'However, it fast-tracked me into rock bottom and then got me sober very early in life.'
Davinia was famed for her position in the notorious Primrose Hill party set, where she joined her then-husband Dave Gardner in partying through the Nineties with pals including Kate Moss, Sadie Frost and Jude Law.
After embracing sobriety 16-years ago, becoming a fitness guru and turning her focus to biohacking, Davinia now boasts a bio-age of 26.
Biohacking involves making small, strategic scientific-backed changes to habits and behaviours to improve things like cognitive function and weight management.
She continued: 'It's like, the body wants to heal. It wants to survive. It doesn't want to punish you.
'It's not judgmental. It's like, f***, okay, we've got rid of that addictive or that inflammatory ingredient, be it food, be it gambling, be it behaviours, be it alcohol, be it drugs, whatever.
'We've got rid of it. Now let's quickly repair and let's crack on with what we were meant to do, which is thrive.'
The Life of Bryony: Your twice weekly dose of therapy, minus the couch. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now.
'I was convinced that because of all the drinking and drugging and eating disorders and just the terrible ways over the years.
'And the stress and the stress and depression. Yeah, lack of sleep and all that, yeah. OCD, all of that.
'I was convinced that my biological age would be around about 156. And it blew my mind. Lo and behold told me my biological age was 26.'
Ever feel like life is a bit…too much? Bestselling author and journalist Bryony Gordon is here to ditch the shame and dive headfirst into life's messier bits.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Four more foods could require allergy warning labels after deaths
Researchers say four foods, including goat's milk and pine nuts, may need allergy warning labels. The recommendation follows a recent study that highlighted eight foods currently not included on the list for mandatory allergy labelling but which are regularly involved in cases of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that can happen very quickly. Experts in France analysed food-induced anaphylaxis cases reported to the Allergy Vigilance Network from 2002–2023 and found that in almost 3,000 cases, some 413 were caused by eight emerging allergens without mandatory labelling, including two deaths. 'We therefore believe it is time to review the list of the 14 foods with mandatory labelling to include at least the most severe of these emerging food allergens,' study author Dominique Sabouraud-Leclerc said. Writing in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Allergy, researchers suggest four of these foods – goat and sheep milk, buckwheat, peas and lentils, and pine nuts – should be included on allergen listings due to their 'frequency, severity, recurrence, and potential for hidden exposure'. The recurrence rate – which means the same allergen caused a number of reactions in the same patient – ranged from 7.3 per cent for peas and lentils to 56 per cent for goat and sheep milk. Researchers also warned that other ingredients to be wary of include kiwi, apple, beehive products like pollen, and alpha-gal, which can be found in red meat. In the UK and EU, food businesses are required to highlight 14 major allergens on packaging, including: Anaphylaxis symptoms usually start within minutes of coming into contact with an allergen and can include swelling of the throat and tongue, trouble breathing and fainting.
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Lego Batman is back with an open-world Gotham and Arkham-style combat
After more than a decade away, Lego Batman is set to return to consoles in what looks to be the plastic superhero's most ambitious outing yet. Announced at the annual Gamescom expo in Cologne, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a new open-world adventure from TT Games, the veteran studio behind the beloved Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. The reveal trailer gives fans a glimpse of a sprawling, blocky Gotham City that players will be able to freely explore by blasting around in the iconic Batmobile. We see the dinky Batman sliding between enemies in a flurry of combo- and counter-based attacks and executing stealth takedowns from above. It looks to have more in common with the sophisticated combat system of the revered Arkham Asylum and Arkham Knight games, rather than the simpler, kid-friendly action of the Lego game series. Legacy of the Dark Knight will also include difficulty levels – a first for TT Games – further suggesting there'll be a degree of challenge for anyone who wants it. While Bats is the star of the Gamescom trailer, TT Games confirms we'll be able to play as other characters from the Batman universe, including Catwoman, Robin, Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon. As is traditional for Lego spin-off games, the trailer spoofs iconic moments from Batman's cinematic history. Bane – voiced here by Matt Berry – reprises his famous 'you merely adopted the dark' monologue, while we get appearances from the likes of Penguin and Joker. TT Games says Legacy of the Dark Knight will be an original story drawing inspiration from Batman's sprawling back catalogue of TV shows, comics, games and movies. 'Whether he's the wrathful Dark Knight, the brilliant detective, or the unlikely father of the 'Batfam,' Batman has constantly evolved – shaped by the world around him while remaining a timeless symbol,' said DC president Jim Lee. 'This game brings together nearly every facet of his legacy, letting you experience the full range of what makes Batman iconic. Built with incredible care, creativity and deep respect for the mythos, TT Games has crafted a love letter to the world of Batman.' Legacy of the Dark Knight feels like TT Games' most ambitious project yet, a complete departure from the arcade-y, level-based Lego games of old that builds upon the open-world and fully-voiced Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which launched in 2022 to critical acclaim.
The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
I got free tickets to Glastonbury by working as a litter picker… it's a great festival hack, I keep the cash & jewellery
A MAN has revealed that he got free tickets to Glastonbury by working as a litter picker after the festival finished. Not only did he find cash on the floor, but he also collected jewellery he was able to keep too. 3 3 The content creator took to social media to show off his finds, leaving many totally stunned. The man confirmed that he got paid to be a litter picker and whilst there, he was able to stay at a separate campsite to the main crowd, with hot showers and flushable toilets. Also whilst working as a litter picker, this man was entitled to two free meals every day. Litter pickers also get free tea and coffee 'at all times' and a free car parking pass too. To get the job, this man had to pay a deposit of £380 - the cost of a ticket to the festival. But if you do all of your shifts, this deposit money is then refunded. Showing off his findings, the man said: 'I just spent a month litter picking Glastonbury Festival after the festival finished - these are all the best things I found on the floor.' The litter picker, who worked in a team of 75, then confirmed: 'Over 200,000 people attended, they dropped loads of expensive things, these are all the best things that I found on the floor.' Giving his followers a close-up look at his finds, which included a large selection of random toys and jewellery, he continued: 'A small hand, a spoon collection for tiny cereal bowls, 12 earrings, five rings, a Hello Kitty ring, 10 necklaces and bracelets.' As well as this, he added: 'Two really shiny bracelets, a blue troll, a hairless troll, four house keys, two dinosaurs, a squid, skeleton arm, a jaw bone, seven ducks, a couple of frogs [toys], three Croc charms, some crystals, a golden doubloon, £40 in cash.' I was a Glastonbury litter picker - we got EPIC perks but found bizarre things… don't start me on people's loo habits Not only this, but the man also got his hands on a toy lizard and a light switch, as well as an 'empty vial, a wooden dice, a plectrum, two shells and finally a golden top', which he claimed he 'doesn't know what to do with.' The man's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ vee3rdeye, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 439,700 views. Not only this, but it's also racked up 24,900 likes and 439 comments. Social media users were gobsmacked by the man's findings and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this. One person said: 'I literally love everything you found.' Another added: 'I NEED the Hello Kitty ring!!' A third commented: 'Yes it was 100% worth it for all those trinkets.' Whilst one user chimed in: 'I am so jealous of everything! What a cool collection!' At the same time, one user gushed: 'I NEED to try this one year. I can't think of anything better than picking up after people after a festival is over.' Meanwhile, someone else questioned: 'It took a MONTH to clean up?' To this, the man responded and confirmed: 'There are actually a team of 10 still there and they will keep picking until September. 'I was bored after a month and needed a change.'
