Dame Elaine Paige details addiction to sleeping pills

Elaine Paige has admitted she was addicted to sleeping pills during her years on the stage.

The English singer and actor detailed how after a show she would feel "wired" until the early hours and struggled to sleep.

She confessed she relied on sleeping tablets to help her get some rest.

Speaking to The Sunday Times magazine, she shared, "I go to sleep but seem to wake up after four hours. For many years in the theatre I lived on sleeping pills, otherwise you're wired until 2am after a show.

"I called it my Judy Garland syndrome. They're dreadful things to become addicted to, which I was. But since the pandemic I've managed to get off them and will not take one again.

"I say to myself that even if I don't sleep well, I'll be fine the next day," she concluded. "I'm not ready to take afternoon naps yet!"

Paige was cast as the original West End Eva Perón in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Evita at the age of 29 in 1978. The role made her into a major musical-theatre star.

Other memorable roles include Grizabella in Cats, Florence Vassy in Chess and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.

These days, Paige has moved away from performing and has spent the past 21 years presenting Elaine Paige on Sunday on BBC Radio 2.

She released her latest album, Miscellaneous Paige, in July.