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24 Jan 2026 17:50
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Billy Idol has "definitely lived" his 70 years

    The 69-year-old rock star is approaching his milestone birthday and admitted that it all seems "real" to him because of his life experience


    Speaking on UK TV show 'Good Morning Britain', he said: "At the end of the year, I will be 70 years old. I guess it does [seem real], I've definitely lived it. It's gotta be real!"

    Meanwhile, 'Dancing With Myself' hitmaker Billy - whose real name is William Michael Albert Broad - has been known by his stage name for decades but explained that it all stemmed from a poor school report from his teacher.

    He said: "Bill Price his name was. He wrote in capital letters. In those days, they wrote in cursive writing on your report but he wrote in capital letters WILLIAM IS I-D-L-E, and I knew my dad was gonna kill me, so later on in punk I started to call myself Billy Idle.

    "We were fans of the Sex Pistols, and this lady doing a story said I couldn't be Billy Idle because of Eric Idle. So she gave me 24 hours and in that time and I thought 'Why not be I-D-O-L? It's crazy but I'm gonna do it!''"

    Billy used to enjoy a few glasses of wine with his dinner, but he's now given up booze completely because he's "watching out" for his liver and can't stand suffering hangovers any more.

    He told The Independent newspaper: "I've actually just stopped drinking. I used to have a glass of wine at a restaurant.

    "I'm just watching out for my liver these days - unfortunately! I'd love to be piling them back! Then again, you put on weight, that's all that happens with alcohol these days. You just get puffy ... [Plus] I started getting a really bad headache if I have more than two glasses of wine."

    Billy previously battled drug addiction back in the 1980s but he's revealed he used working out to help him quit the party lifestyle.

    He said: "Working out became a big part of my life. And it helped me get over drug addiction. Caring about your body, eventually that took precedence over the drug addiction. It helped me develop a sense of discipline so I could put the drugs in the rearview mirror."

    used to enjoy a few glasses of wine with his dinner, but he's now given up booze completely because he's "watching out" for his liver and can't stand suffering hangovers any more.

    He said: "I've actually just stopped drinking. I used to have a glass of wine at a restaurant.

    "I'm just watching out for my liver these days - unfortunately! I'd love to be piling them back! Then again, you put on weight, that's all that happens with alcohol these days. You just get puffy ... [Plus] I started getting a really bad headache if I have more than two glasses of wine."

    Billy previously battled drug addiction back in the 1980s but he's revealed he used working out to help him quit the party lifestyle.

    He said: "Working out became a big part of my life. And it helped me get over drug addiction. Caring about your body, eventually that took precedence over the drug addiction. It helped me develop a sense of discipline so I could put the drugs in the rearview mirror."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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