Baz Ashmawy has opened up about his arrest six years ago for drink driving.
Speaking on Wednesday night on his new RTÉ Radio One show That Baz Thing, the 42-year-old said that he hadn't spoken about the incident until now as he felt ashamed.
"Six years ago, or one of the last times I sat in a studio like this manning a show with my name on it, I had just spent the night in a Garda station and I had been arrested for drink driving," he told listeners.
"I remember I arrived in to the studio to review the morning papers like I always did and there was my face all over nearly every front page.
"I could literally see that my world was collapsing right in front of me. I could read it. It was there in black and white.
"It's difficult for me to talk about," he admitted. "It's something I'm ashamed of and something I hate about myself but, not just that, I kind of passed all those feelings on to my family and the people I love.
"It was embarrassing and shameful for them. I know they get upset when I talk about it so I haven't really spoken about it publicly.
"I suppose I wish it never happened so I just don't talk about it, I was sorry I did it but the fact is I did do it and all the flippin' sorrys in the world isn't going to change that."
Ashmawy's fortunes went further downhill after that incident, as he got ill, lost his job and was flat broke with a young family at home.
"The reason I'm talking about it tonight is because shortly after that incident I ended up in hospital with my health," he conceded.
"My contract was cancelled. I lost my job in radio. No one would employ me in TV. I was unemployed for 18 months, We had a one year old, Hannah, and my missus was seven months pregnant. I swear to God if I could touch it, it would turn to sh*t. I hit rock bottom."
Obviously, given his success on TV and radio in recent years - particularly with the Emmy award winning 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy - he managed to turn things around.
"It took me a long time, years, to change my circumstances but over time I came to realise the power of change," he said
"Sometimes you're directly responsible for your circumstances - like in my case - and sometimes you have no control over what life throws at you. But the one thing that's common to both is how you react or deal with it and that's what tonight's show is about, the power of change."
That Baz Thing continues on RTÉ Radio One on Wednesdays at 10.00pm.
