Former Crown owner James Packer said he wants to ‘rehabilitate’ his reputation after Blackstone sale

James Packer has quit taking seven different ‘mood-altering drugs’ that doctors prescribed from him amid investigations into his casinos – with the billionaire revealing he’s now the happiest he’s been for years.

The 54-year-old former executive chair of Crown Resorts said he is now free of the drugs which were prescribed to help with his mental health challenges, including bipolar disorder.

Mr Packer is now hoping to ‘rehabilitate’ his reputation in Australia and embrace a life of health and wellbeing after shedding 25kg in just over two months.

‘I got off all my antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs in March,’ he told The Weekend Australian from his home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Former Crown owner James Packer (above) said he wants to ‘rehabilitate’ his reputation in Australia after selling his casino empire and coming off seven kinds of ‘mood-altering drugs’ that were prescribed by doctors 

‘In 10 years, and hopefully before then, I hope to have rehabilitated my reputation in Australia and elsewhere.’

Mr Packer sold Crown to private investment company Blackstone for $8.9billion in a deal that was finalised last week, with the businessman pocketing $3.3billion.

The sale marked the end of a major chapter in his life which at times was mired by controversy amid inquiries into the company and allegations of money laundering. 

Despite the investigations, the billionaire credited his casinos in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney for changing the cities ‘for the better’. 

The father-of-three said he is now excited to begin his ‘third act’ and plans to ease back into public life in Australia.

Mr Packer, pictured last year, is now hoping to embrace a life of health and wellbeing after shedding 25kg in just over two months

Mr Packer’s ex-wife Erica and their three children are seen in Bondi beach. The family will stay at the Crown Sydney next March

He’s planning a return to Sydney next March to stay in his former company’s new luxury skyscraper overlooking the harbour with his ex-wife Erica and three kids Indigo, 13, Jackson, 12 and Emmanuelle, 9. 

Erica will renovate the $72million apartment which will serve as a home for whenever members of the family are in the NSW capital.

Mr Packer said he was looking forward to seeing Crown Sydney in its finished form, adding it ‘hasn’t been appropriate’ for him to be in Australia in recent years. 

The last time he saw the monumental building was in January 2020, and he was last seen publicly just eight months later where he appeared on video link from his $250million yacht during the inquiry investigating Crown’s casino licence in NSW.

Packer said he will be visiting Crown Sydney (above) for the first time next March in his first Australian trip since January 2020

Mr Packer is seen with former flame Mariah Carey in 2016

Mr Packer said he was enjoying life more than he ever had, and was prioritising family and his wellbeing.

‘The sale of Crown is the end of my Act 2 and the beginning of my Act 3. I want to learn from my mistakes and I’m hoping for a meaningful and successful Act 3,’ he said.

His next goal is to trim down from 130kg to 100kg and jump into the water at Bondi Beach with his son this summer.

He also wants to become involved in public debate in Australia including on topics like China, mental health and artificial intelligence. 

Mr Packer acknowledged he’d been ‘incredibly lucky’ in his life with a current estimated net worth of $5.72 billion, and is now hoping to help those ‘a lot less fortunate than me’. 

Mr Packer is seen with the late Shane Warne and ex-wife Erica Packer at the races in Melbourne in 2012