Only Fools stars shock confession

MICKEY: I'M AN ALCOHOLICOnly Fools stars shock confession

ONLY Fools and Horses star Patrick Murray has confessed that he is desperately fighting a secret battle against alcoholism.

The haggard actor, who plays spivvy Mickey Pearce, came clean after millions of fans saw his booze-ravaged features on the show's Christmas special.

Murray told the News of the World: "Yes, it's true. I'm an alcoholic. I was drinking 10 lagers and half a bottle of whisky a day. It started as a social thing but it became a habit."

The 46-year-old favourite revealed how he:

POURED his heart out to co-star David Jason,

SOUGHT help from Alcoholics Anonymous,

WORKED as a mini-cab driver and building labourer as he drank his money away, and

TURNED down other acting jobs because they did not match up to Only Fools and Horses.

But he also revealed that girlfriend Christina Stanley, 32, has put his life back on track—and now they plan to marry.

Plonker

The couple share a modest flat next to a tyre depot in South London—in stark contrast to the stately piles of Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who plays plonker Rodney.

"It's fair to say the others earned lots more than me," he sighed. "They were the money and we were just the support act. It did annoy me— but that's life. David and Nicholas earned ten times what I did."

But as the big names were collecting awards for their parts in the BBC1 smash-hit series, Patrick was fighting the demon drink. He admitted:

7I was a mess. I could easily have died. I thought it was macho that I could drink so much and stay standing. People were amazed. It wasn't until my son Ricky, who was 15 at the time, confronted me about it that I actually did anything.

After filming Only Fools, we'd always go for a drink but I would never have more than them.

But in 1998 I took over a pub and people would buy me drinks. It became habitual.

I'd start drinking when I opened the pub at 11am and continued until I shut the door.

I'd wake with a horrible hangover and riddled with doubts wondering what had happened the night before. But I'd just start all over again. I'd get aggressive with people—but that didn't stop me. Then my son sat me down in the bar and said: "Dad, I'm worried about you. You're drinking too much."

The very same day I closed down the pub, locked the doors and walked away. Until then I'd been in denial.

Patrick gathered the strength to enrol in an Alcoholics Anonymous class in Streatham, South London.

"I had to stand up and say ‘My name is Patrick Murray and I am an alcoholic'," he recalled.

"They asked me 10 questions and said that if I answered yes to more than two of them, I was an alcoholic. I said yes to five. It was very scary." He then decided to confess to the rest of the cast. He said: "It was when I returned to film one of the Christmas specials. They asked me if I wanted a drink.

"I simply told them I didn't drink any more. They were a bit shocked but said how proud they were of me.

"David Jason was the most supportive. I told him all about it and he offered a lot of sympathy."

After 22 years, Only Fools and Horses still topped the viewing charts at Christmas with 16.3 million viewers tuning in to see Mickey drinking in The Nag's Head. But between the festive specials Patrick could not find acting jobs. "I suppose I could have taken smaller roles," he said. "But how can I beat what I've done on Only Fools?

"I never wanted to be in anything that wasn't as great. Instead I've been doing anything to make money.

"I've worked as a taxi driver, builder, antique dealer and even in a hospital as a receptionist.

"One day I'd be earning £30 and the next £3,000 on the show.There's a special coming out at Easter—and I hope there will be more."

Patrick moved into Christina's flat—and on their mantelpiece sits a Buddha which he says helps keep him calm.

Bizarrely he proposed to Christina during a radio interview.

He said: "They asked who I lived with and I was about to say my girlfriend when I realised she meant much more to me than that.

"So I turned to her and asked if she'd mind if I called her my fiance. It's the best decision I ever made."

Fantastic

The couple plan to wed this year in Ireland.

Patrick said: "Christina's made my life complete. We're going to set up a cab company together.

"But if a fantastic acting role comes along I may take it.

"My dream is to set up youth clubs so youngsters can get off the streets and stop getting drunk. I want to give something back."

Patrick has not forgotten his painful past and now donates hours of his time to helping others with drink problems.

He said: "I've been there, I know what it's like. I go out in New Cross where people know me and the kids respect me. They approach me and ask for help."

Divorced Patrick jokes: "I won't be celebrating my marriage with a glass of champagne. It will just be orange juice for me.

"I'm happy that I've been a drunk because it opened my eyes to the world and made me realise what I want from life.

"My three sons are prouder of me for kicking the booze than they ever were about me being in Only Fools and Horses. You can't ask for much more than that."

As Del Boy would say, that's luvvly jubbly, Mickey.