Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

McFly star Dougie Poynter took ‘lethal dosage’ of valium as he felt responsible for band’s split

Musician said band is ‘all I really want to know’

Jacob Stolworthy
Thursday 12 November 2020 09:10 GMT
McFly re-record All About You video to thank NHS workers

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

McFly star Dougie Poynter took a “lethal dosage” of Valium after feeling responsible for the band splitting up.

Poynter found himself struggling without the since-reformed McFly despite being the one who suggested they come to an end in 2016.

The musician, who attempted suicide in 2011, relapsed after falling out with his bandmates and friends Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones and Harry Judd.

Speaking in new documentary McFly: It's All About Us, Poynter said: “On the one hand, I felt inspired because friends in LA would take me to see other bands and stuff.

“On the other hand, I was like, ‘But my band’s broken and it’s all my fault’.”

Poynter said that “Valium was a way of just making all that disappear”.

Fletcher, Jones and Judd soon realised that Poynter was “taking something”, with Judd saying: “He sort of told me what he’d been taking – he was like, at that lethal dosage”.

In an attempt to repair their friendship, Poynter asked his bandmates to join him at group therapy.

Judd acknowledged that, while there may have been hard feelings initially, “we realised Dougie did nothing wrong – and that’s the biggest lesson from all this”.

Speaking about being a part of McFly, Poynter, who won I'm a Celebrity in 2011, said: “It’s all I really know and all I really want to know.”

McFly: It's All About Us airs on Saturday 14 November at 6.40pm on ITV

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in