Frankie Dettori - My cocaine shame

15 May 2013

In an exclusive interview with Channel 4 News, Britain’s most famous jockey Frankie Dettori admits for the first time that he took cocaine.

In his first TV interview (to be broadcast tomorrow 16 May 2013 at 7pm) since he tested positive for drugs, Dettori talks to presenter Clare Balding about why he took cocaine, the impact on his personal life and his future career in racing.

During the wide-ranging interview, Dettori also addresses the steroid scandal that has engulfed his former stables Godolphin.

He tells Channel 4 News:

“I’m very ashamed and embarrassed, and paid a very big price for it, you know. I spent six months not doing the thing that I love, racing.

“Things were going bad, I was depressed and I guess a moment of weakness and I fell for it and I’ve only got myself to blame. I can’t blame anybody else.

“The embarrassment of when it come out, I had to hide in my house for a week. The paparazzi outside. The embarrassment of telling the children, you know. You know they still go to school, they might get bullied and so it was a very, very difficult time.”

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MUST USE: ‘Clare Balding talks exclusively to Frankie Dettori on Channel 4 News on Thursday at 7pm’

VIEW footage: www.channel4.com/news/frankie-dettori-drugs-ban-cocaine-clare-balding-horse-racing

MORE of the interview with Dettori available on Channel 4 News online and from Friday 17 May on Channel 4 Racing.