Dear Hugh, I Take It Back

[Hugh Grant has confessed he was drunk when he  bought a painting of Elizabeth Taylor that later made him an £11million profit. The actor was lauded as an art connoisseur when he bought the work by Andy Warhol for £2million. And he was praised as a master of timing when he sold it six years later for £13million.

But the star has now admitted that his windfall had little to do with an eye for art. Grant, 49, had been on a two-day drinking spree when he ordered an assistant to bid for the painting at an auction in New York. He said: 'And to my horror, she did, and even worse, got it.' He added: 'It all began with drink. I'd been having a drunken dinner with my father the night before, and I said, "We ought to go see my brother Jamie. You know, the Concorde's amazing." 'And he said, "I hear it is.'' So I bought him a Concorde ticket and we went. We had lunch, drank a lot of beer. And I was thinking about some stuff in the Sotheby's auction and I saw the Liz Taylor. I slightly regret selling it now, even though it made me rich.' The top price paid for any of the pictures before Grant made his profit was £7.7million in 2005.

The actor admitted not all of his drunken gestures were as well rewarded. Far from enjoying the supersonic trip to New York, his father was unimpressed. Grant said: 'Halfway across the Atlantic, he's saying, "Well, it's all very nice, but frankly I prefer Air Kuwait" - his usual way of getting to New York.']

Hugh, I know we've gotten off to a rocky start - but I think we can make this work. A two-day drinking spree while buying fine art - well, let's just say those are two of my favorite things. Add bacon and that's my perfect day. Oh, and it if helps things, I'd like you to know that I'd never ever complain about flying first class.

[Photo Credit]