TV journalist Paddy Gower’s message of sober hope ahead of booziest night of the year

Paddy Gower is celebrating a year of no alcohol - and reminding others that “if I can do it, anybody can”, ahead of one of the booziest celebrations of the year.

The Newshub journalist has been alcohol-free since the day after his mate and fellow broadcaster Corin Dann told him he and other friends were worried about Gower’s drinking, and Dann couldn’t “see how it ends well”.

Last Wednesday, Gower realised it had been a year and two days since the friends’ conversation, which Gower later described as prompting a “psychic shift” that led him to give up alcohol for good.

“One year sober and going strong”, he wrote on social media, 10 days out from the traditionally booze-soaked New Year’s celebrations.

“I am not really good with dates and it just passed me by. I didn’t celebrate it either, it was just another day.

“I have always found the word ‘sober’ a bit weird as it kind of implies being drunk all the time, I prefer ‘non-drinker’, but people say sober and I am all good with that!”

TV journalists and friends Patrick Gower (left) and Corin Dann. It was a conversation between the pair that prompted Gower to quit alcohol.

The award-winning journalist had never intended to be a “hashtag sober guy” after going public with his switch to sobriety in his documentary Patrick Gower: On Booze, which looked into why Kiwis loved to drink and how we can change our drinking culture.

But a lot of people asked how he was going, and he was proud of what he’d achieved, wrote Gower, who couldn’t be contacted today to speak about the milestone.

“If I can do it anybody can. I never thought of doing a week let alone a year yet here I am.”

Gower, whose documentaries have also canvassed cannabis, methamphetamine and other drugs - including laws relating to them - and who will host the new long-form current affairs series Paddy Gower Has Issues next year, said one of the best things about his decision to ditch the booze was rediscovering the joy of the start of a new day.

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A post shared by Patrick Gower (@patrickgowernz)

Posting a photo of himself enjoying the morning, and a favourite piece of art depicting its pleasures, Gower wrote that “giving up booze was a new dawn for me”.

“During the year I saw this piece of art by Kendal Morgan-Marshall. To me it just straight out symbolised where I was at. Morning Rise is inspired by the morning sunrise that paints the hills and ocean around us pink.

“You are up early enough to capture it and you feel like you are the only one experiencing it. You step forward knowing a beautiful day awaits. Giving up booze was a new dawn for me. Every morning is fantastic.”