Paddy Power tells brilliant story about 6.30am glasses of champers with Alan Brazil

It involves the Morning Line TV show – and the Alan Brazil radio show that I had done earlier at the Cheltenham Festival.

So, I’d actually done the Alan Brazil Breakfast Show first at the track. It was really early, maybe 6.30am or 6.45am. That was fine. Ish.

Well, maybe it wasn’t fine.

I had gone home, couldn’t sleep, got into bed, got out of bed, had a shower and got into my suit. I got home maybe at 5am or 5.30am and I was then up at 6.15am to go back to the track. Ouch. Not my best night’s sleep.

I was doing the ‘Alan Brazil show’ and that was bananas. You’d arrive and it’d be like: ‘Do you want a glass of champagne?’ I’d say: ‘No no, I’ll have a coffee.’ Then you’d look over and Alan’s opening the second bottle!

After that show I had to go on the Morning Line for Channel 4 television. I was walking over to the studio, when this guy comes up to me.

Fair play to him for coming over as he saw the state I was in.

He was asked me if I was going on the show and when I said ‘yes’, he said: ‘Go and look in the mirror before you do’.

I went in and my tie was all over the shop and I looked an absolute disgrace.

Sweet Jesus, I looked terrible!

I threw some water on my face and got away with it, I think.

I was actually grand by lunchtime. The thing is, back in the day I used to do a little bit of work in the press room so you’re always busy. So by the end of the day, I got my second wind and got through it.

Somewhere along the line you are supposed to crash, but this was me in my mid-20s.

It’s a lot different to my mid-40s. I was a different machine back then!

Well, I’m glad that’s off my chest, that was like a therapy session.