On screen, he was a cantankerous pensioner with one foot in the grave.

But in reality, Richard Wilson has no intention of giving up his lust for life.

The actor, 72, has hinted that he uses Viagra.

Uplifting: Richard Wilson has admitted he needs a helping hand in the bedroom

He claims that sex is still important to him but that age has affected his ability to perform.

He said: 'The ageing process has its drawbacks.

'I think the recent chemical advances are excellent - I've made use of them shall we say.'

Despite his age the actor, who has never married, insists he is still in good physical order.

He added: 'I'm still working a 12-hour day without any problems.

'I've got high blood pressure and my hearing has got worse and I'd quite like a new pair of feet, if that were possible, but I'm pretty well.'

His health is unsurprising, given his strict exercise regime.
Wilson revealed: 'I exercise every day. I've got a mini gym at home where I do pull-ups and press-ups and I swim regularly.

'Every now and again I still stagger around a squash court.'
In the same interview, however, he also admits that he is struggling to control his weight.

For a long time he weighed 10st 4lb but 'now I can be 13st 10lb - ghastly'.

Despite relying on chemicals to boost his libido, the star insisted that he would not alter his appearance for vanity's sake. He confessed:

'When I was younger if there was a 100-per-cent guaranteed way to stop hair loss I would have been interested, but I never think about cosmetic surgery.'

Mr Wilson said that in real life he is nothing like his grumpy on-screen persona from One Foot in the Grave, Victor Meldrew.

Asked if he was happy, he said: 'Yes, on a scale of one to ten I'd put myself at an eight.
'Despite being known as Mr Grumpy, I'm happy a good deal of the time.'

The Scottish born actor, whose first career was as a lab technician, was awarded an OBE in 1994.

He had enjoyed limited success in the industry until his big break in One Foot in the Grave in 1989 at 53.

The show ran for ten years over six series from 1990 to 2000. It ended when Victor Meldrew was killed by a hit-and-run driver.

In 2005 Wilson confessed that he had been in love only once, with a female doctor.
He said: 'It was a woman. She's now married with a family, and the last thing I want is for people to find out who she was and make her life a living hell.

'I don't think they would now, but when One Foot In The Grave was very popular, any bit of tittle-tattle was jumped upon.

'That was the one enduring relationship.

'There were other little ones, and I've had male friends but not lovers.
'That was the one I would call a love affair.'

He added: 'It was very important, but it didn't work out. I was young, and the theatre was nagging at me.'