Former BBC’s The One Show presenter Adrian Chiles has said he gets pestered every time he goes for a pint – because people think he has an alcohol problem.
The telly presenter made a documentary three years ago about boozing for the BBC called Drinkers Like Me.
But he moaned that strangers think he is an alcoholic who has fallen off the wagon which spoils his trips out for a bevvy.
Adrian, 54, said: “Apart from having to talk about it all the time, which is one aspect of that.
“Because people can’t get into their heads this idea of moderation.
(Image: BBC/Ricochet Ltd/Jonathan Young)
“If you come out and say you’ve got ‘a problem’ with alcohol it is the widely held assumption that the only way to deal with it is to stop completely.
“So at no time in the programme did I say I was going to stop – I said I’m going to moderate.”
The former The One Show host told The Moon Under Water podcast that he now gets collared when punters see him holding a beer.
He added: “You know, the amount of times with a pint in my hand and they go, ‘Oh, you’re back on it then.’
“People come up to me, just hold my arm and say, ‘Good luck with your battle, good luck with your struggle.’ And they mean it nicely.
“So there’s that aspect of it and I just say, ‘Look, I’m just drinking less’ and they go, ‘Yeah, yeah, whatever. We know.’
“I’ve got past getting annoyed about it.”
(Image: ITV)
During the show, Adrian was stunned when he added up his alcohol consumption, which was well over the recommended 14 units a week.
He said on BBC Breakfast: “I was just staggered what I was putting away,” later revealing that he had more than 100 units in one week, while another week was 80.
The NHS advises men and women not to drink more than 14 units a week – equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of wine.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
