AceShowbiz - Michelle Heaton has accused "so-called friends" of attempting to cash in on her addiction nightmare. The Liberty X singer entered rehab in 2021 to receive help for her drinking and she's now revealed she decided to go public with her health battle in a bid to stop some acquaintances "twisting the narrative" by selling stories about her darkest moments.

"When I came out of rehabilitation, my family and I decided to share my story in my own time and in my own words so the narrative couldn't be twisted by people around me who were so-called friends," she told OK! magazine.

When asked who was betraying her, Michelle explained, "I had people who were trying to make a bit of money on the side and sell their experiences of my addiction. Those people know who they are. So I took matters into my own hands to tell my truth. It did me a favour in the end - it helped me to be honest and to help others."

Michelle has now been sober for two and half years, and she insists kicking her addiction has made her feel liberated. She told the publication, "I'm feeling amazing. I'm so free now and it's a place I dreamed of getting to."

Michelle previously credited rehab with saving her life because her alcohol addiction ravaged her body and left her with serious medical complications. She told Closer magazine, "Rehab saved my life - after my medical examination there, they told me I'd have been dead within days if I hadn't got help."

"I'm still on medication to help my pancreas function as it's been completely destroyed. Recovery is the hardest thing I've ever done, but my fight to keep sober is something I'll do every day for the rest of my life."