Gordon Ramsay has candidly said he feels 'incredibly upset' when people 'think he's on coke'.
The 56-year-old chef is well known for his larger-than-life and loud personally, especially in the kitchen. But, the Hells Kitchen star has said that has caused some people to wrongly assume he is on drugs.
Speaking with Spender Matthews on the Big Fish podcast, he explained: "I get incredibly upset when everybody thinks I’m on it because you’re boisterous, you’re loud and you’re excited. That’s just passion. Pure f**king passion and that’s no different to being in a dressing room or changing room at half time, 2-0 down and you’ve got to get your s**t together in the next 45 minutes.
"Growing up in that environment you’re never worried about losing, it was the fight back. So, at three-star level there is a price to pay for that and it’s not flipping burgers and dressing f**king Caesar salads.
"It’s just the ultimate so, it’s as refined as an athlete. So, I got upset when everyone thought that rock’n’roll status in the industry was dependent on this f**king white powder and it was absolute nonsense."
The British chef has sadly seen first hand how substance abuse can affect a person. Gordon's younger brother Ronnie, with whom he is close in age, has battled with drug addiction.
In 2007, Ronnie was jailed for 10 months and fined £260 after being caught with 100 milligrams of heroin in Indonesia.
Gordon also previously revealed having to take his brother to a drug dealer to 'get his fix' in order for him to attend their dad's funeral.
In the new podcast chat with former Made In Chelsea star Spencer, Gordon noted that they had a difficult upbringing.
He explained: "Growing up in multiple s**tholes, you get one's s**t together early.
"I just wanted to better myself and get out of a situation that was unfortunate. I had grown up on 15 council estates.
"There's always a nerve-wracking moment when you go to another school, another football club. Having to make mates again sometimes twice in one year.
"That's incredibly disruptive. I set out to change and give my family the security and everything that I had wished for at their age. I never expected that level of success, like any success it's worked for."
However, as his success blossomed Gordon witness his brother spiralling.
The TV chef explained: "he flipside to my success is my brother's addiction to heroin. It's bizarre isn't it?
"You grow up on several council estates, you're sharing this tiny bedroom and you're in bunkbeds. You're so close as brothers, we're 14 months apart so much has changed dramatically."
He added: "I have that reminder on a daily basis how different it could have been if I'd gone down a different road and felt the country owed me something rather than fighting for something."
Gordon recalled watching his brother go from being a 'blue-eyed boy' to falling down a 'slippery slope free fall' after he fell in with the wrong crowd.
He said: "Sadly he couldn't get out of that scenario took a bad turn. You start off with a couple of joints and then suddenly the dependency is far greater further down the line."
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
Listen to the full interview on the Big Fish with Spencer Matthews podcast on Global Player now.
