Danny O’Donoghue, the frontman of The Script, recently shared a harrowing experience that followed a night of heavy drinking with the legendary Sir Tom Jones. The two musicians, who first met as judges on the UK version of “The Voice” in 2012, embarked on a night out that ended with O’Donoghue in the hospital.
O’Donoghue recounted the evening, describing how Jones, known for his robust partying habits, led the charge. “You think Liam Gallagher is a hellraiser? Spend the night drinking with Tom Jones. He’s a drinking pro,” O’Donoghue told the Mirror. The night began with champagne at midnight and continued until the early hours of the morning, with Jones ordering bottle after bottle.
The relentless drinking session, which lasted until 7 AM, took a toll on O’Donoghue. Despite his efforts to keep up with the 81-year-old icon, the younger musician found himself overwhelmed. “We drank champagne until 7am, then I had to get up early and drank a lot of coffee. I was hospitalised the next day because I ended up getting heart palpitations,” he revealed.
The excessive alcohol consumption led to O’Donoghue developing atrial fibrillation, a condition characterized by an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. “I’m not blaming Tom. I blame my ability to not say no,” he admitted. The incident forced him to take a break from filming “The Voice” to focus on his health.
Jones, who has a reputation as a party animal even in his ninth decade, has previously described himself as a “nocturnal creature” who seldom wakes before midday. His ability to keep the party going is well-documented, with council officials reportedly shutting down a late-night party he attended with Guns N’ Roses rocker Axl Rose in London in 2017.
Despite the health scare, O’Donoghue holds no ill will towards Jones. “It was my fault because I should have stopped drinking very early,” he said. The two musicians have maintained a good relationship, with O’Donoghue expressing admiration for Jones’s storied career and down-to-earth nature.
Jones, who recently released his 41st studio album “Surrounded by Time,” continues to defy age with his energetic performances and relentless work ethic. The album, which features covers of songs by Bob Dylan and others, cemented Jones as the oldest man ever to top the UK Albums Chart.
O’Donoghue, on the other hand, has a busy year ahead with The Script. The band is set to release a greatest hits compilation album, “Tales From The Script,” and embark on a globe-trotting tour in 2022. Despite the challenges, O’Donoghue remains optimistic about the future and is determined to take better care of his health.
Reflecting on the night with Jones, O’Donoghue shared, “He said ‘you can’t leave the table until the champagne is done’ and it just wouldn’t stop.” The relentless drinking session, filled with stories about Elvis and the Rat Pack, left a lasting impression on the younger musician. “By the time I’d woken up, my heart had flipped into a different rhythm,” he recalled.
The experience served as a wake-up call for O’Donoghue, who now recognizes the importance of moderation. “I didn’t know what was going on so I went to the hospital – and I got atrial fibrillation from drinking nothing but champagne for six hours,” he said. The condition, which can be triggered by excessive alcohol consumption, forced him to take a few days off from filming to recover.
Despite the health scare, O’Donoghue remains grateful for the time he spent with Jones. “What an amazing career that guy’s had,” he said, praising the Welsh legend’s down-to-earth nature and incredible stories. “I really, really loved my time with him.”
As The Script prepares for their upcoming tour and album release, O’Donoghue is focused on staying healthy and honoring the memory of his late bandmate, Mark Sheehan. “We’re heading into a brand new year now and coming out of the dark period now and… leaving the grief behind and trying to be optimistic about the year we have in front of us,” he said.
The band’s new single, “Both Ways,” is set to be released in August, marking a new chapter for The Script. Despite the challenges, O’Donoghue remains committed to making music and celebrating the life of his friend and bandmate. “He cracked the whip a lot of the times on the standards,” he said, reflecting on Sheehan’s influence on their music.
As O’Donoghue continues to navigate the ups and downs of life, he remains grateful for the support of his friends, family, and fans. “I spent all last year in that hole and I needed a hand out of it,” he said. “My friends, my family, music gave me the hand that reached into that black pit and pulled me out of it.”
With a new album on the horizon and a renewed sense of purpose, O’Donoghue is ready to face the future with optimism and determination. “The grief and the grieving will always be there but we want to start celebrating now and really get back to work again and honor what we’ve always worked toward,” he said.
