GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A member of the popular “Free Beer & Hot Wings” radio show returned to work Thursday morning after a monthslong suspension.

The radio show announced Wednesday that Joseph Gassmann, a Chicago-area native who goes by the stage name “Producer Joe” on air, would be back. That came a day after domestic assault charges against Gassmann were dropped.

Gassmann was suspended from the radio show after he was arrested in Naperville, Illinois, in March and charged with domestic battery. Police said he assaulted his girlfriend. He pleaded not guilty.

On air Thursday, Gassman said alcohol had started to control his life before the incident that led to the charges.

“I was losing interest in anything else. Again, (I) don’t see it at the time,” he said. “I’m not doing anything else that used to interest me. If I’m biking, I’m biking to bars or biking because I can’t drive.”

In announcing Wednesday Gassman would return, host Gregg “Free Beer” Daniels said the show had expected all along that the charges would be dropped.