Emmerdale star says she ‘lost everything’ as she turned to drink after soap exit

Alicya Eyo won the hearts of the nation when she played the role of Ruby on the ITV soap, but after she was killed off, she admitted she had nothing left for her and hit the bottle

A former Emmerdale star has said she resorted to alcohol after being booted from the show.

Alicya Eyo took on the role of Ruby Haswell from 2011 to 2015, becoming a staple of the ITV show during her stint. Playing the wise nurse, Alicya had some gripping storylines that left viewers wincing, including being a stepmother to her partner’s three kids.

But after leaving the programme back in 2015, Alicya admitted that she began to fight her own battles in real life. This included the breakdown of her relationships and a gradual alcohol dependency.

Speaking candidly on the Soap From the Box podcast, Alicya was able to get back on the wagon and has been sober ever since. She admitted after leaving Emmerdale that everything in her life had fallen apart and left her with little options.

**Alicya played the role of Ruby Haswell for four years**

“In 2017 I got to a point in my life, having left Emmerdale, a relationship breakdown, I basically turned to alcohol, which wasn’t great,” she confessed. Explaining her situation, Alicya did not seek help and continued spiralling until she had nothing left – resorting to rehab to sort herself out.

“So I ended up losing everything, including myself – that was the main thing,” she admitted. “So I went to a rehab called Transforming Choice in Liverpool which is the most amazing place; they helped me figure out why I was doing what I was doing.”

But she did admit that she had some fear of reaching out, for fear of being recognised due to her stint on national television: “It was the best and the worst three months of my life, if I’m being honest. I was a bit scared of going to rehab and people knowing who I am.”

**Alicya said she lost everything after leaving the soap in 2015** (Image: Getty Images)

Thankfully for Alicya, she beamed that there was “no judgment whatsoever”, and that she was able to find her way through her dependency on the other side. She went on to describe the treatment as “brilliant”, as she was able to speak freely about her addiction and get the help she needed.

Alicya did admit that lockdown struggles did impact her recovery, but despite finding it hard she was able to push through. This came despite the mental health issues she faced, which she said were only heightened by the lockdown measures.

**She is thankfully on the road to recovery after going to rehab** (Image: ITV)

Back in 2015, Alicya’s character Ruby was killed off in a huge blaze that engulfed the village. A helicopter crashed into the village hall, after being caught in an accidental explosion by Chrissie Sugden – leaving many injured.

Ruby was eventually discovered under a pile of rubble, but as she was being moved, it was revealed that the helicopter’s blades had slashed through her stomach. Despite being attended to by Dan Spencer and Kerry Wyatt, Ruby would go on to die from her injuries – much to the dismay of fans, as Ruby had been a fan favourite.