Davro was depressed before 'Enders role

Bobby Davro has revealed he overcame depression and a drink problem before landing a role on EastEnders.

The comedian said he was sent into a spiral of decline when he split from his wife Trudi, who was cheating on him, four years ago.

His career was suffering at the time and Davro has recalled the period in an interview with The News Of The World.

"I suffered deep depression and drank bucketloads because I was so sad," he said. "I ballooned in weight and looked terrible. I ended up working in crap clubs where people were drunk and weren't even listening. It belittled my talent."

And Davro said he now understands Trudi leaving him for a builder was partly down to his outlook: "I was not easy to live with in the last 18 months of my marriage — and I wasn't giving Trudi what she needed at the time.

"I had lost myself. It was the death of variety at the BBC and I was off television. The insecurity of not being on TV bothered me."

He also told how celebrity hypnotist Paul McKenna helped him overcome the depression - and how old friend Barbara Windsor brought him to EastEnders.

"At my lowest point I turned to my friend Paul McKenna. He calmed me down and showed me a technique that helps resolve emotional problems by tapping acupressure points with my fingers."

Of Windor's help he added: "I owe her a big slap-up dinner because she helped get me the role. Barbara and her husband Scott saw me in pantomime in January and afterwards she told me, ‘You'd be wonderful in a soap'.

"They put in a good word for me with the BBC. I did a reading and got the part - the feeling was fantastic. Trudi was thrilled for me and so were our kids."

He is due to enter the soap as loveable rogue Vince in coming episodes.