Sir Michael Caine has said he would have been dead “long ago” had he not married Shakira Baksh.
The two married in 1973 and have a daughter, Natasha.
Sir Michael had previously been married, to the actress Patricia Haines, but credits Shakira – now Lady Caine – with making him a reformed character.
Sir Michael Caine and his wife Shakira in 2005 (Christophe Ena/AP)
He told the Radio Times: “Without her I would have been dead long ago. I would have probably drunk myself to death. I was a bit of a piss artist when I was younger, I used to drink a bottle of vodka a day and I was smoking too, several packs a day.
“I wasn’t unhappy but it was stress. You know, ‘Am I going to get another picture? How am I going to do this part? How am I going to remember all those lines? I’ve got to get up at 6 in the morning and I hope the alarm works.’
Sir Michael Caine with Shakira and his daughter Natasha in 1973 (PA)
“There was always some stressful thing. Meeting Shakira calmed me down.”
The 82-year-old added: “She’s my right-hand man, my confidante. I tell her everything. I was famous when I met her, but I couldn’t have got this far without her.”
This week’s Radio Times goes on sale on Tuesday.
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