Russell Brand has revealed he auditioned to be in the boy band 5ive before he turned to stand-up comedy and tv presenting.

He admitted recently: “I did audition for a boy band. That was pretty bad. I was only 20, I didn’t know what I was doing and I was on drugs. I did some pretty crazy things on those drugs.”

“I’d been in the toilet drinking to calm my nerves so I was probably all red and blustery and a little plump and rubbish.”

“I decided I’d be less self-conscious if I held a water bottle and pretended it was my mic. It really was terribly embarrassing.”