Robert Lindsay recalls drugs boom in 1980s New York

Robert Lindsay was put off drugs after he saw friends die from taking cocaine.

The 74-year-old actor – who is best known for starring in the BBC sitcom 'My Family' – witnessed the explosion of the drug when he was working on Broadway in the 1980s and the shocking reality of the dangers made him decide to leave the substance alone.

Appearing as a guest on Gyles Brandreth's 'Rosebud' podcast, Robert admitted he had "terrible experiences watching friends die".

He added: "Everyone, and I mean everyone, was taking cocaine.

"Let me just tell you this. [The] 1980's in New York was, well I'll put it this way, Ronald Reagan closed J.F.K. [airport] because the whole city, the whole of Manhattan was infiltrated by the cocaine burst from Columbia. I mean, everyone was taking cocaine."

Robert – who is married to actress Rosemarie Ford – was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, and he has previously admitted that he found it very hard to shoot his comedy series 'My Family' with his on-screen wife Zoe Wanamaker whilst dealing with his health scare.

Speaking to The Guardian newspaper, he said: "Comedy’s the worst thing when you’re having emotional problems. [Zoe] said, 'Right, OK, let’s go on and be funny, and then we can talk about it.'

"I can’t remember the recording at all. It was in front of a studio audience – 500, 600 people, cameras, lines, bang, bang, bang. All I could think was, I could be dying."