...but 17 would be too sweet

Bob Mortimer has revealed that he used to put  16 sugars in his tea and coffee.

But if he put an extra spoonful in,  that was ‘too sweet’.

Though the comedian is known for his tall tales on the likes of Would I Lie To You, he insists his sweet tooth was genuine.

And he believes it was a way of coping after the death of his father when Bob was about seven.

He told The Sun: ‘When I was young, I used to put in 16 sugars. I promise, I did.

‘The slightly amusing thing about that story is that if I put 17 in it was too sweet for me. My dad died in a car crash and I think I started taking all these sugars then, because it is mood altering. That might be the link.

‘Maybe on my deathbed, they will pour me a tea and I will say, "No sugar".

The 62-year-old, who had had triple-bypass surgery in 2015, revealed he has cut down to just five or six ­sugars in hot drinks.

He was speaking to promote the return of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing to BBC Two on Sunday.

Published: 27 Aug 2021