Adrian Chiles admits he was 'staggered and horrified' when he realised how much he was drinking

BBC Radio 5 Live host Adrian Chiles has said he was “staggered” at how much he was drinking after being “horrified” by how many units a week he was consuming.

The presenter and former ITV football host has tackled drinking in his new BBC documentary, airing next week, and “constant drinkers who are the problem”.

In an interview on BBC Breakfast, Chiles said: “I was just staggered what I was putting away.

"I don't really get drunk, I don't misbehave, I don't drink during the day, I don't drink alone, I don't particularly stay up late. I just drink something every day.

“The idea of “an alcoholic” is somebody who drinks all day, wakes up in shop doorways, fights…most of us see those documentaries and think ‘that’s not me, I’m alright’.

“But, in fact, in the middle there are loads of us who just drink too much and I just wondered why I was so dependent on it in a small way, or is it a big way.”

In an interview with The Times, Chiles explained that he had been told by a doctor that he “couldn’t carry on like this” with high consumption because he was putting himself at risk of disease.

The 51-year-old told the publication: “I think middle-aged 'supposedly moderate' drinkers need to take a look at ourselves.

"I encourage anyone, don't judge yourself, don't panic you're not going to drop dead, but go on an app like 'Drink Less' and measure what you're drinking, be honest with yourself for three weeks.”

Chiles has also recently opened up about his struggle with anxiety shortly after leaving ITV morning show Daybreak in 2011, which he fronted with Christine Bleakley.

He told the Radio Times: “Once I was freed from Daybreak I thought, ‘This will be an easy life now,’ as I was being paid lots of money to present a football match every two weeks. But I felt terrible and felt guilty for feeling terrible.

“I spent a lot of time thinking, ‘What is wrong with me?’ I didn’t have enough to do and was over-thinking everything. I knew if I had a pint or two everything would be fine, so I was self-medicating with alcohol.

“I was already seeing my GP for high blood pressure and reflux, and on one of those visits I was diagnosed with anxiety.”

He said that he “knew it was coming” when he was dropped mid-contract from ITV’s football coverage, admitting that he “could hardly get the words out” because he was suffering with bad anxiety.

Drinkers Like Me airs Monday 27 August at 9pm on BBC Two.