Withnail star Grant dodges drink

Actor Richard E Grant is allergic to alcohol, but pals always assume he must be a recovering alcoholic because of his debauched performance in Withnail & I.

Grant, who played a perpetually drunk actor in the cult 1987 film, constantly has to explain he is not a member of Alcoholics Anonymous when he turns down booze.

He says: "I have an allergy to drink. I get a terrible rash and get ill for about 24 hours. I went to a doctor when I was 19 and he said I had none of the enzyme in my blood that processes alcohol.

"He asked if I had Japanese blood. Or Inuit. Or Native American, because they have none of this enzyme. The French as a tribe have the most of it.

"It wasn't for lack of wanting to do it, it was just I am unable to, which is ironic because when I say I don't drink, people say: 'Oh, are you on the programme?'"