Jim Davidson on how he was part of drug 'dealing machine'

The comedian said that he used to buy drugs for his group of friends

Television presenter Jim Davidson has been cleared of historical sex allegations (Getty Images)

Jim Davidson has said he used to act as a drug mule for his friends, and would go to south-east London to pick up "pills and things".

Talking on James O'Brien's ITV debate show O'Brien, Davidson told of his wild youth.

"I used to take tonnes of drugs. My mates used to send me down to Erith to pick up all the pills and things and come back to Woolwich," the comedian said.

Presenter James O'Brien asked if Davidson was part of the drug dealing machine, to which Davidson replied: "Well, if you like."

He explained: "I didn't go far, it's not like I went to Peru or somewhere, but I was the bloke from the pub that used to go and get them all."

He added: "I took their money and went to buy it off a bloke with a nose like that [mimes a broken nose], came back and gave it to my mates."

Davidson, who has spoken about his problem with drug use in the past, continued: "The problem why I stopped was, all this talk about drugs is fine, until you get someone like me that has no control."

In 2012, Davidson congratulated former drug addict Russell Brand on his appearance at the Home Affairs Select Committee on drugs in April 2012.

Davidson said: "He obviously had a thing or two to tell them. Did they look at him and think, 'who the f*** does he think he is?' or 'we better listen..this man's been there and has the ear of the young generation who take drugs'.

Russell Brand addressing the Select Committee in 2012

He added: "Trouble is, the people who take drugs are all different. They take drugs for different reasons. Some can stop, some can't. The ones that can't will die. The one's that can, do. They get fed up. Your body starts to tell you that sleep and food might be the answer. There is a saying in AA 'I WAS SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED'."

Speaking of his own personal battle with substance abuse, Davidson said: "Luckily with me the 'come down' from drugs out weighed the high they provided, so it was a simple step for me to get help and stop, which I did, and to this day have never touched another drug. And hopefully, one day at a time I will continue to abstain."