Frank Skinner talks about his struggle with alcohol

The TV and radio presenter told The Jonathan Ross Show that he had struggled with drink for 14 years, but has been tee-total since the 80s as he doesn’t trust himself to have even one.

He said: “Yes I was a drunkard.” When Jonathan asked: “You were a proper alcoholic?” he replied: “It’s a word I don’t like but yes, I mean proper… I was quite a reckless alcoholic.

“I lived a strange life, I remember with a friend of mine sleeping next to a railway line one night not by choice, we just couldn’t walk any further… I slept on grass verges in Birmingham city centre and stuff like that.”

On how he eventually kicked the habit, Frank explained: “I used to drink sherry first thing in the morning. I used to have that on the bedside table so I’d wake up, put the radio on and have two or three relaxing glasses of sherry and obviously that was fine, but I then switched to Pernod first thing in the morning and I remember thinking, ‘You know you’ve gone too far this time.’ I was fine with the sherry!

“So that was the moment when I thought, ‘Maybe this is getting a bit out of hand,’ but I didn’t seek help, I basically got the flu and I couldn’t consume alcohol for about five days just because I was ill and I hadn’t gone five days for 14 years and I thought ,’I wonder if I could do six days,’ and I just carried on like that.”

Frank admitted: “I still dream about it and I stopped drinking September 24, 1986. I’m not brave enough to risk [drinking a little bit] I must admit. I think no greater gift can you give a child than two non-drinking parents.”

The Jonathan Ross Show is on ITV on Saturday at 9.45pm.