Actor’s rehab fails

DESPERATE to tackle his drinking problem, Downton Abbey actor Brendan Coyle flew to Thailand to spend a month in a rehab clinic.

But his efforts unravelled soon after he left when he succumbed to the bottle and drank heavily on the “lively” 11-hour flight back to Britain.

As he drove home from the airport, Coyle, 52, was stopped by police and found to be nearly three times over the drink-driving limit.

And on Thursday the actor, who played Lord Grantham’s valet John Bates in the ITV period drama, was banned from driving for just over four years after a court heard he had a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2011.

Coyle admitted to a single charge of drink- driving. He was also ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and given a 12-month community order. – Daily Mail

BUSTED: Brendan Coyle.