Billy Joel recalls being given 'ultimatum' by ex-wife Billy Joel was once told by Katie Lee to either seek help or end their relationship. 26 July 2025 Billy Joel entered rehab in 2005 after being given an "ultimatum" by his then-wife. Billy Joel spent time in rehab in 2005 The 76-year-old star checked into the Betty Ford Center for the treatment of alcohol abuse, after Katie Lee instructed him to either seek help or end their relationship. In the new HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, the musician shares: "With the rehab, you don't go for somebody else. You have to go for yourself.