Michael Caine Reveals His Wife Saved Him From 'Drinking Himself To Death'

Sir Michael Caine has revealed that had he not met his wife Shakira Baksh, he would likely have ‘drunk myself to death’.

In an interview with the Radio Times, the movie legend paid tribute to the steadying influence of his wife of over 40 years.

“Without her I would have been dead long ago. I would have probably drunk myself to death,” he said.

“I was a bit of a p*ss artist when I was younger, I used to drink a bottle of vodka a day and I was smoking too, several packs a day.

“Meeting Shakira calmed me down. And she’s not the little wife; she runs the whole business side of my life. She’s my right-hand man, my confidante.

“I tell her everything. I was famous when I met her, but I couldn’t have got this far without her. She is the most important person in my life.”

Caine pursued Shakira, a former actress and model, after he saw her appearing in an advert for Maxwell House coffee in 1971.

He then discovered from a friend who worked in advertising that she lived not far from him in London.

They were married in Las Vegas two years later.

Prior to his marriage to Baksh, Caine was married to the actress Patricia Haines, with who he had a daughter, Dominique.

Caine had another daughter, Natasha, with Baksh in 1973.

The 'Dark Knight’ star has recently received acclaim for playing a retired orchestra conductor in 'Youth’, opposite Harvey Keitel and Paul Dano.

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Image credits: PA/W