Robin Williams in rehab to help his 'continued commitment' to staying sober

The actor has been vocal about his battle to overcome addictions to drugs and alcohol in the past

Robin Williams has been admitted to a rehabilitation centre in his ongoing battle to maintain his sobriety, his spokesperson has confirmed.

The comedian checked into the Hazelden Addiction Treatment Center in Minnesota in order to “focus on his commitment” to overcome his addictions.

It is thought the actor could remain at the treatment centre for several weeks.

“After working back-to-back projects, Robin is simply taking the opportunity to fine-tune and focus on his continued commitment, of which he remains extremely proud,” TMZ quotes his representative as saying.

Williams publicly addressed his alcoholism for the first time in 2006, following a separate spell at a rehabilitation clinic.

He said he became addicted to alcohol and cocaine during his rise to fame as a stand-up comedian in the Seventies and managed to kick his habit around the birth of his eldest son in 1983.

“Cocaine for me was a place to hide,” Williams told People magazine in 1988. “Most people get hyper on coke. It slowed me down. Sometimes it made me paranoid and impotent, but mostly it just made me withdrawn. And I was so crazy back then — working all day, partying most of the night — I needed an excuse not to talk. I needed quiet times and I used coke to get them.”

Video: Robin Williams returns to rehab

Williams remained sober for 20 years. However, he started drinking again on location in Alaska in 2003.

Speaking to the Guardian in 2010 of losing his sobriety, he said: “I was in a small town where it's not the edge of the world, but you can see it from there, and then I thought: drinking. I just thought, hey, maybe drinking will help. Because I felt alone and afraid. It was that thing of working so much, and going f**k, maybe that will help. And it was the worst thing in the world.”