Rosie O'Donnell denies she is an alcoholic

American comedienne Rosie O'Donnell has denied rumours she is an alcoholic, insisting she chose to give up booze because she is desperate to lose weight.

The TV star, 45, recently confessed her dieting secret to a fan on her online blog, prompting others to question the real reason behind her sobriety.

The devotee queried: "So, Rosie, alcoholic or not? Just spit it out! …What led to you stopping the beer? You'll only help someone else."

And while O'Donnell admits she was consuming more booze than she would have liked, she is adamant she is simply doing it to improve her health, according to the New York Post's gossip column PageSix.

She replied: "(I gave up alcohol) 'cause I was drinking too much, 'cause I didn't want to any more, 'cause it is hard to lose weight when drinking, 'cause I can never have only one."