Frankie Dettori has admitted that he used cocaine because he was "depressed" at not being able to ride professionally.
Dettori was banned for six months in December for failing a drugs test back in September, and the jockey said that he turned to the Class A drug in a "moment of weakness".
Speaking to Channel 4 News, Dettori said: "Things were going bad, I was depressed and I guess [in] a moment of weakness and I fell for it and I've only got myself to blame. I can't blame anybody else.
"I'm very ashamed and embarrassed, and paid a very big price for it, you know. I spent six months not doing the thing that I love, racing.
"The embarrassment of when it come out, I had to hide in my house for a week. The paparazzi outside. The embarrassment of telling the children, you know. You know they still go to school, they might get bullied and so it was a very, very difficult time."
The 42-year-old Italian will return to action at Leicester on Monday evening.
Dettori's interview with Claire Balding will be broadcast on Thursday evening at 7pm on Channel 4.
Paul Gorst
