Michael Barrymore says television doesn’t “employ innocent people”.
Michael Barrymore says telly only works with guilty people
The former ‘Barrymore’ host - who was once one of the UK’s most prolific and highest-paid television stars - was let go by ITV after being embroiled in the police investigation after the death of Stuart Lubbock aged 31 after attending a pool party at the broadcaster’s Essex home.
The 71-year-old host told the Daily Star newspaper: “It’s strange that companies don’t employ innocent people. Maybe you have to be guilty to get a job in television, I don’t know. From my experience they don’t employ innocent people.
“It’s unfair, of course. It’s terrible. You’re supposed to support people.
“You’re supposed to support the people that work for you. You’re supposed to be caring.
Michael admitted that it has “taken” him more than two decades to “build up” his confidence since he left television.
He said: “The amount of confidence you need to work the way I did at my peak was phenomenal and that took years to build up. When everything went my confidence was completely smashed. It has taken me 22 years to get that back.”
The former Celebrity Big Brother’ star has also claimed that he hasn’t “heard a word” from his former colleagues because they don’t want to deal with the legal trouble he found himself in.
Michael said: “I haven’t been asked to do any shows. I haven’t heard a word from anyone.
“Nobody has been in touch because they don’t want to deal with all the c***
“But why would I want to go back to a place like that?
“Why would I want to go back to a place where you get treated like that?
Michael also speculated that a guest spot of his on ITV1 sitcom ‘Benidorm’ was axed by telly bosses.
He said: “I think the people upstairs didn’t want it.”
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