Louis Theroux shares a heart-warming update on Joe from his Drinking To Oblivion documentary
The 32-year-old medical worker reduced viewers to tears with the tale of his tragic addiction to booze
ALCOHOLIC Joe Walker reduced the nation to tears when he appeared on Louis Theroux's documentary 'Drinking to Oblivion' in April.
Distressing scenes showed the bloodied 32-year-old former medical worker so desperate for booze he even discharged himself from hospital to go and buy vodka, despite being warned his drinking would kill him.
But Louis has recently revealed Joe, whose late mother was an alcoholic, is now eight months sober.
The pair met up for a coffee earlier this week - and discovered they were both sporting matching beards.
Documentary filmmaker Louis tweeted: "Coffee with @joedwalker from my alcohol programme, 8 months sober. Congrats, dude! #beards #aa".
Fans of the programme were delighted by the news, with Louis's tweet being retweeted more than 4,600 times and favourited 21,000 times.
Many wished Joe well and were pleased he was finally getting the better of his demons.
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Meanwhile Joe posted an amusing faceswap photo, captioning the pic: "Love child of Joe and Louis. Unplanned pregnancy one of the consequences of #DrinkingtoOblivion".
The hard-hitting documentary showed Joe - who was six months sober when it broadcast - try to knock booze on the head, only to relapse massively.
He admitted he turned to drink due to problems in his personal life and his addiction to alcohol ended up costing him his girlfriend and his job.
Joe told how he had spent months necking two bottles of vodka a day in bed before collapsing in the street.
In one particularly emotional scene he told Louis from his hospital bed: "I don't want to be a drunk - I am dying as a person."
But just minutes later, tearful Joe decides to check himself out of hospital and goes in search of vodka, despite doctors having just warned it could kill him.
Joe explained: "I like the sensation of it going down my throat and I want to experience that for one last time. That's why I'm leaving."
After his final relapse Joe left London and moved in with his dad at his family home in Brighton.
He told Louis he is trying to rebuild his life and is staying off the booze "for now".