Craig Charles has revealed a smoke alarm saved his family’s life after a fire ripped through their home in the early hours of New Year’s Eve.
The former Coronation Street star, 57, was awoken from sleep by the smoke alarm beeping – after a candle set a Christmas garland alight, which then spread to the wallpaper.
He told listeners as he presented the Craig Charles early afternoon playlist on his BBC 6 Music show on Friday: ‘I’m actually going to share this because it has been on my mind while doing the show.
Terrifying: Craig Charles has revealed a smoke alarm saved his family’s life after a fire ripped through their home in the early hours of New Year’s Eve
‘Last night or early this morning my life got saved by a smoke alarm.
‘In fact, my whole family’s life got saved by a smoke alarm, so be careful with your candles.
‘In my dream someone had left the fridge door open and when the fridge door is open for too long it starts beeping and that’s why I was kicking off in my dream.
‘Then I heard one of my daughters shouting ‘Dad, Dad, the smoke alarm is going off’.
Damage: The former Coronation Street star, 57, was awoken from sleep by the smoke alarm beeping – after a candle set a Christmas garland alight, which then spread to the wallpaper (pictured)
Horror: The star tweeted on New Year’s Eve about the horrifying incident
Family first: He shares two daughters, Anna-Jo, 24, and Nellie, 18, with second wife Jackie Fleming
‘We got up, we went down and we have like a garland above the mantlepiece of twigs and berries and holly and a candle, I think it’s probably me who should of blown the candle out, I’m not sure but I’m taking the blame anyway, had set fire to the garland which had set fire to the wallpaper on the fireplace.
‘We’ve got this oval leather mirror and the leather had obviously been stretched over a plastic frame because the frame was blazing really hot. You couldn’t see anything. There was smoke everywhere.
Craig said the family extinguished the fire with buckets of water but admitted they had been ‘very lucky’ as the blaze would have ‘really taken hold’ only five minutes later.
Couple: Craig and his wife Jackie tied the knot back in 1999 (pictured with Nellie in 2011)
He continued: ‘So the whole wall needs redoing. The ceiling is black with soot and the main front room of the house just smells of acrid plastic smoke so get yourself a smoke alarm and be careful with your candles.’
The star branded the fire ‘so frightening’ before praising his daughter for raising the alarm.
He shares two daughters, Anna-Jo, 24, and Nellie, 18, with second wife Jackie Fleming.
Last month Craig revealed that his son Jack has been on oxygen after contracting COVID-19.
Diagnosis: Last month Craig revealed that his son Jack (pictured) has been on oxygen after contracting COVID-19
In an interview with The Times, Craig insisted that Jack, 32, would be fine despite being hospitalised with the virus, adding: ‘He’ll get there.’
It comes after Craig contracted the virus himself back in September, and had to be on oxygen as well and posted on Twitter at the time.
His post on Twitter at the time read: ‘Okay guys I don’t want to alarm, but I’ve caught the Covid.
‘Breathing is a bit laboured which is a worry, but I’ve got an oxymonitor so so far no hospital.
Health: In an interview with The Times, Craig insisted that Jack, 32, would be fine despite being hospitalised with the virus, adding: ‘He’ll get there’ (pictured with Jackie in 2006)
‘Starting to feel a bit better but have to isolate, Sorry to let everyone down. Back soon.’
Elsewhere in the interview, he spoke about how he turned to drink during lockdown, because he was unable to do his DJ job.
He said: ‘Mass gatherings is my job, and sitting in your pants for 18 months watching drinking rosé isn’t great for business.
‘I’ve been working at full tilt to claw back in six months what we would have made in 18.’
Announcement: It comes after Craig contracted the virus himself back in September, and had to be on oxygen as well and posted on Twitter at the time
He admitted that he now throws himself into his work because his addictive personality can lead him to dangerous places. He admitted that he once spend £250,000 on crack cocaine.
Back in 2014, he quit I’m A Celebrity stint after his brother Dean died. After his death, pals around him were worried he would go off the rails again.
But he said: ‘I just threw myself into work and have carried on working ever since.’
Craig, best known as Lloyd in Corrie and Dave Lister in Red Dwarf, announced the news that he would be presenting a brand new show The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on 6 Music back in July.
In 2005, Craig joined the Coronation Street cast as taxi driver Lloyd and was given free rein to introduce various aspects of the character’s personality.
He quit his role on the soap in May 2015 in order to concentrate on filming the new series of Red Dwarf.
He has since taken up DJ-ing and has performed at various events and festivals over the summer.
Busy: He has since taken up DJ-ing and has performed at various events and festivals over the summer (pictured at Lovebox)
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