Steady Eddy was one of Australia’s most recognisable comedians of the 1990s, appearing regularly on programs such as Hey, Hey It’s Saturday and Tonight Live with Steve Vizard.
Known for his sharp humour and warm stage presence, the comedian, whose real name is Christopher Widdows, built his career on acknowledging his cerebral palsy upfront and using self-effacing jokes to share what life with a disability was really like.
Now 56, Widdows has spoken to The Courier Mail about why he eventually stepped out of the public eye, revealing that was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction for much of his peak TV career.
“Robin Williams said a quote that you know you’re famous when people give you a kilo of cocaine for free and that’s what was happening to me, not to that extent of course, but free drinks and free drugs,” he told the publication.
“There’s a period of time I don’t have any memories of.”
He told the paper he finally became sober after reaching “rock bottom” in 2004, and he now marks 21 years sober.
Widdows also opened about the long-term impact those years had on his health, particularly the progression of his cerebral palsy, which affects movement and posture.
“Cerebral Palsy and doing drugs and alcohol probably wasn’t the best idea,” he said.
“It’s put me in a wheelchair a lot sooner than I thought and it’s impacted my life a bit more because there are certain areas I need a little bit of extra help.”
Widdows shares that he can no longer carry out some simple tasks, including going shopping or changing a light bulb.
Today he lives a quieter life in Gympie, Queensland, focusing on staying active with regular gym sessions to support his health and mobility.
Despite the challenges of recent years, Widdows has also embraced a new chapter.
This year he launched a national comedy tour, Return of the Stedi, marking a heartfelt return to the stage for the performer.
Image: YouTube
