Barrymore working in pal's garage that used to service his own luxury motors

Tags: acton, bob shilton, epping, essex, itv, london, michael barrymore, roydon, shilton's bodyworks, stuart lubbock.

Ok, I could be pretty mean about this..........

Michael Barrymore has been reduced to working in an old friend's garage called Shilton's Bodyworks in Epping, Essex after failing to find new acting work. He goes in on a Saturday, performing such as functions as making cups of tea for the mechanics and sweeping floors.

His agent, and the garage owner Bob Shilton, are both refusing to discuss Michael's fiscal rewards for the work, but he is not thought to have taken the job because of any financial difficulties, thought Mr. Shilton was keen to stress that he's treated like "just one of the guys from the shop", so one might guess he will be earning comparable wages to the other staff.

He managed to buy a small basement flat in Acton, West London, earlier this year for around £360,000, plus he's been drawing on a pension plan for the last 2 years. It's all a very far cry from the days when he earned over £2 million a year at ITV and lived in an opulent mansion, which notoriously became the scene of his downfall when Stuart Lubbock died in his pool.

I have to admit, despite everything - I can't bring myself to be cruel. I respect Barrymore for getting off his arse and finding a job if he needed one, or just wanted to keep busy. Fair play!!

Image: Dave Hogan/Getty Images