Real life quitters

GARY LUCY

Actor Gary Lucy went from teen drama Hollyoaks to patrolling in The Bill via a glamorous stint as Kyle Pascoe in Footballers Wives.

We followed Gary during his first week going smokefree as he received advice from an NHS Stop Smoking adviser, set about making his home smokefree, and tried to break his habit of smoking at work.

"The main motivation would be my little one. She's two-and-a-half now and her seeing me smoking is just not nice. I think that's enough to make anyone want to stop really".

Gary starts his week with a visit to a local NHS Stop Smoking adviser, who helps him understand his smoking routine in his personal and work life and find ways to change it for good.

Gary smokes as part of his stressful work routine as a star of The Bill. We watched his every move on set, where he could even resort to locking himself in the cells to avoid temptation. With his young daughter as his motivation to stop, will he be able to seize the momentum, and use the support that the NHS can provide?

"I'm looking forward to the weeks ahead of being a non-smoker."

Watch all five episodes of Gary's video dairies to see how he got on.

Then find the best support for you in our What Suits Me? section.

SIAN REEVES

Actress Sian Reeves played Sydney Henshall in BBC1's Cutting It and won singing series Just the Two of Us with mentor Russell Watson. We filmed Sian during her first week as she sought professional advice on how to stop smoking, and as she resisted the temptation to light up after a stressful day of screentests.

"I have tried quitting before - I quit for a month - but I haven't lasted."

Sian starts her week with a visit to a local NHS Stop Smoking adviser, to help her understand her smoking routine in her personal and work life and find ways to change it for good.

Sian has been a smoker for 7 years and thinks of a cigarette as a routine reward for hard work. But now she wants to set a better example for her teenage daughter, improve her own health and spend her money on more pleasurable things.

"If I feel like this after one week, then I'm going to feel even more proud of myself after two weeks and every week will get better after that."

Watch all five episodes of Sian's video diaries to see how she got on.

Then find the best support for you in our What Suits Me? section.

Beverley Henry and Alisha Andrews, Edgware

Meet Beverley and Alisha, a mother and daughter from London who used their local NHS Stop Smoking Service to go smokefree together.

How they did it

Beverley was 46 years old and had been smoking for 30 years, when she suffered a cerebral aneurysm and stroke.

Beverley spent three weeks in hospital as a result of her illness and used Nicotine Replacement Therapy to help with her cravings during her hospital stay.

On being discharged, Beverley decided to go smokefree for good and was joined by daughter, Alisha, who wanted to support her Mum by quitting with her.

Mother and daughter made use of a local NHS Stop Smoking Service as part of their plan to quit, seeing an adviser to help them decide on the best course of action for both of them.

Now, Beverley says, they are reaping the rewards: "Alisha has used the money she saved to go on holiday... My partner and I completely redecorated our house so it doesn't smell of smoke anymore… Receiving so much support from my local NHS Stop Smoking Service has inspired me to encourage my friends to stop smoking too!"

Find the best support for you in our What Suits Me? section.

Michelle Pickles, Halifax

Meet Michelle, a mother of two young children from Yorkshire, who went smokefree after 17 years by making use of the Together Programme.

How Michelle gave up for good

Michelle had been smoking for more than half her life when she found herself becoming increasingly concerned about her health and her ability to look after her children in the future.

When Michelle watched her son pretending to smoke like his mummy, she was shocked and decided that it was time to quit smoking for her health and to set a positive example for her children.

She decided to combine three of the different options available to her to stop smoking, signing up to the Together Programme and also making use of local NHS Stop Smoking Services and Nicotine Replacement Therapy.

This combined approach really worked for Michelle: "The Together Programme really helped by constantly reminding me that I did not want to be a smoker. I also went to one-to-one sessions, where the adviser arranged for me to get a nicotine replacement programme…The support I received from the NHS was nothing short of fantastic!"

Find the best support for you in our What Suits Me? section.

Denzel Kirk, Farnborough

70-year-old Denzel from Farnborough has been smokefree for two years, since he used his local NHS Stop Smoking Service and decided to quit smoking for good.

Breaking a lifelong habit

Denzel had smoked for over 60 years when a stay in hospital helped him decide to quit smoking.

On release from hospital, Denzel was visited at home by his local adviser, who provided advice and encouragement on Denzel's best route to successfully stopping smoking.

Denzel found not smoking after meals the biggest challenge he faced and used a nicotine inhalator to combat the need to smoke after eating.

In the two years he has been smokefree, Denzel's lifestyle and health have improved dramatically: "My health and fitness is so much better… Now I can walk around town and go cycling. I've surprised myself, cycling as far as six miles - that can't be bad for a 70-year-old!"

Find the best support for you in our What Suits Me? section.

Mario Errigo, Winchester

51-year-old chef Mario went Smokefree along with his colleagues, after his local NHS Stop Smoking Service agreed to run a group in his workplace.

Quitting in a group

Mario, who had a 30-year habit when he stopped smoking three years ago, was encouraged to go smokefree by the birth of his son.

Partners and staff at Mario's catering business were keen to join him and stop smoking together, so Mario's local NHS Stop Smoking Service ran a group in his workplace that went on to have a 100% success rate.

Support from his colleagues and local NHS advisers was invaluable to Mario and he's noticed a wide range of changes since quitting for good: "I'm able to taste, smell, all my senses seem heightened. I can also exercise much longer at the gym now. Although social gatherings were initially the hardest time to resist the urge to reach for a cigarette, now I feel a real sense of freedom."

Find the best support for you in our What Suits Me? section.