TV star's secret booze battle

KING of T4 STEVE JONES was a secret ALCOHOLIC, I can sensationally reveal.

The hunky telly host admitted he got addicted to booze after giving up another vice—ciggies.

Instead of puffing on his favourite Marlboro Lights, Stevo began knocking back tequila shots. But

it escalated into a six-month bender.

The former Versace model said: "I replaced every cigarette I would have with a tequila shot, or more drink.

"I was constantly drinking so I just turned into an alcoholic for six months. I wasn't much fun to be around. It totally f***ed me up, not smoking.

"I gave up three years ago and I went through hell for six months. I went to a really dark place. I can't remember a thing, I was that drunk."

Steve had been a heavy-duty smoker for 12 years, puffing his way through 40 cigs a day, when he went cold turkey.

He said: "I thought without cigarettes I won't be me—my whole life revolves around working and getting money so I can go out and have a laugh, drink and smoke with my friends. I thought, ‘To take away smoking, Jesus, is there any point going on?' I felt really depressed about it."

Looking at Steve now it's hard to imagine him in such a sad place.

Celeb babes HALLE BERRY, AMY NUTTALL, NATALIE IMBRUGLIA, PAMMIE and PARIS HILTON are threads on a long string of women who have fallen for his physical charms.

But my guess is they wouldn't have looked twice at him during his booze hell because he became a porker.

He told Attitude magazine, out on Thursday: "I ate and put on weight but I came out the other side, I got my s*** back together and hit the gym."

But despite women around the world falling at his feet, Steve admits he once had a snog with a man!

He said: "I kissed my mate Rob—we were playing spin the bottle a few years ago. It was a bunch of girls and guys, one of those, ‘if you boys kiss, us girls will kiss' scenarios.

"When I kissed him I felt nothing. Like kissing a corpse." Thankfully, girls, his experimenting stopped there.

He said: "I wish I had it in me to give it a go but I'm just a girl man through and through."