Earlier this month he reported he'd been sedated for a week after falling unconscious during a drinking session. He admitted: "I finally realised I can't drink any more - if I have one drink, the docs say I will die."

The 34-year-old insists the photograph of him looking frail shows him more healthy than he's been in some time. He says: "I just wanted to thank you all so much for sending gifts, and all of the compassion and support you have shown me. It really means a lot to me in this time of recovery."