At the height of her fame, Mama June spent $1 million on drugs. She now lives with the regret.

After launching onto TV screens in 2012, the world soon knew who ‘Mama June’ Shannon was. 

The mother of Honey Boo Boo – otherwise known as Alana – made such a name for herself on Toddlers and Tiaras that the mum-and-daughter duo was given their own reality show just seven months later. 

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo lasted four seasons before the family ran into controversy when the network accused Mama June of dating a registered sex offender who’d abused her oldest daughter. 

Watch Mama June's transformation. Post continues after video.

While the matriarch denied it, trouble continued to follow her. 

By early 2019 it was revealed that Mama June had abandoned her four daughters for her new boyfriend, Eugene "Geno" Doak, and their life of drugs – which was costing $1 million a year. 

"I don’t remember a like a lot of that time frame," the reality star told the Daily Mail. 

"Just bits and pieces and stuff, but the biggest, stupidest thing I’ve done is spend that much money on drugs."

During her addiction, the 43-year-old said she would buy $3,00 worth of cocaine every day which she would snort until it damaged her vision so badly that she switched to smoking it. 

Mama June and Geno were also seen living out of their car, despite her kids begging their mum to give up the drugs and her boyfriend and come home.

In March 2019, the couple was arrested in Alabama and charged with drug possession, to which they pleaded not guilty. But by early 2020, the pair had checked themselves into rehab in Florida before splitting up. 

In July 2021, Geno was sentenced to 16 months in prison, while Mama June received 100 hours of community service. 

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The reality TV star – who married Justin Stroud in 2022 – is now three years sober, but still has moments where she hates herself for the cash she wasted. 

"I say that a lot to my husband," she said. "I would be like, 'Man, why in the hell did I blow all that money?'. I am always thinking about that."

"I think about a lot of things I could do with that money. My husband tells me all the time that I can’t dwell on it."

While she was once a TV icon, Mama June – who still suffers from headaches and dizziness – is now counting her coins once again. 

"I’ve gone back to being like penny-pinching, and Justin tells me I’m a money hoarder."

Listen to the host of The Quicky discuss what life is like after reality TV.

She is also focused on repairing her relationship with her four daughters – especially Alana, AKA Honey Boo Boo, who previously said she felt "abandoned" when her mum chose drugs over her. 

Of course, the family is patching up their lives on our screens with their continuing reality TV show, Mama June: Family Crisis. 

While it was announced earlier this year that Mama June's eldest daughter, Anna ‘Chickadee’ Cardwell, is battling stage four cancer. 

The 28-year-old reportedly complained of stomach aches before she was diagnosed with adrenal carcinoma. The cancer was found in her liver, kidney, and lung. 

It’s believed the family has all stepped in to help look after Anna’s two kids, 10-year-old Kaitlyn and seven-year-old Kylee. 

Image: Getty/Mamamia.