Elizabeth Vargas Returns To Rehab For Alcohol Dependency, Says ‘I Am Ashamed And Sorry’

ABC News reporter Elizabeth Vargas has returned to a rehab center to be treated for alcohol dependency, the 51-year-old journalist and the network said Sunday. The “20/20” co-anchor had previously admitted that she is an alcoholic and has always been in “denial” about her fight with alcoholism.

Vargas reportedly said in a statement that she checked into a recovery center on Saturday while on vacation in California. According to reports, Vargas, who had previously spent several weeks in a rehab facility, recently renewed her contract with ABC.

“As so many other recovering alcoholics know, overcoming the disease can be a long and incredibly difficult process. I feel I have let myself, my co-workers and most importantly my family down and for that I am ashamed and sorry,” Vargas reportedly said, in a statement.

"I feel I have let myself, my co-workers and most importantly my family down, and for that I am ashamed and sorry," Vargas added. "I am committed to battling and addressing this debilitating disease and want to thank everyone who has offered their unwavering support during this trying time."

The network, in a show of support for Vargas, said: “Nothing is more important than Elizabeth’s health and well-being, and we stand squarely behind her.

“Our thoughts are with Elizabeth and her family, and we look forward to having her back at ABC News when she feels ready to return,” the network reportedly said, in a statement.

According to The Associated Press, a source said that the Emmy Award winner is being treated at an “inpatient facility” and the duration of her stay will be determined by her doctors.

Vargas, who is in the middle of a divorce from her husband of 12 years, Marc Cohn, with whom she has two children, talked about her alcoholism in an interview on “Good Morning America” in January.

“I am. I am an alcoholic,” Vargas had said at the time. “It took me a long time to admit that to myself. It took me a long time to admit it to my family, but I am. The amount of energy I expended keeping that secret and keeping this problem hidden from view was exhausting.”