John Dennis enters rehab for alcohol abuse

Longtime WEEI radio host John Dennis announced on Wednesday that he has checked into rehab for alcohol treatment and is taking a leave of absence from his duties with the “Dennis and Callahan” morning show.

Dennis, who has hosted WEEI’s morning show in Boston with partner Gerry Callahan since 1999, says he hit “rock bottom” after the Boston Red Sox’s home opener on Monday afternoon. After having gone 40 days without touching a drink, Dennis says he had a moment of weakness.

“I knew immediately that one (drink) was not going to be enough,” he told Steve Buckley of The Boston Herald. “I can stop for long periods of time, but then once I have one, one seems like a good idea, and then two seems like a really good idea. And then four seems like a great idea.”

Dennis said he has checked into a treatment program that lasts roughly four or five weeks and that he has been assured his job will be waiting for him when he returns.

“I’ve made the decision to take serious steps to eliminate the role alcohol plays in my life before it impacts my health,” he said in a statement. “I’m told it’s an arduous undertaking, but it’s one I’m willing to embrace. I know it can be a lifelong battle, but it’s one I want to fight.”

WEEI station manager Phil Zachary said that he and Dennis have been discussing the 63-year-old’s problem with alcohol “for a while.”

The “Dennis and Callahan” show has been one of the top radio programs in the Boston area for a number of years. Here’s hoping Dennis is able to get the help he needs.