Bill Oddie nearly killed himself drinking glass of POISON during Real Marigold Hotel shoot
THE second season of The Real Marigold Hotel almost got off to a tragic start when Bill Oddie accidentally drank a glass of turpentine.
Real Marigold Hotel: Bill Oddie nearly killed himself in India last year
The Springwatch regular was painting in the Indian city of Kochi when he "nearly killed himself" after a shock mix-up.
The 75-year-old thought a waiter had brought him some water but it was in fact poison to clean his paintbrushes.
Speaking ahead of the new series, Bill told the Daily Mirror: "I nearly killed myself after that painting thing.
"At the beginning of the evening one of the guys knocked on the door and put what I thought was a glass of water by my bed but it was turps and I was drinking it. It could have killed me."
Real Marigold Hotel: Bill Oddie drank poison while filming in India last year
Real Marigold Hotel: Bill Oddie is taking part in series two
It could have killed me!
A source went on to tell the newspaper: "It was pretty horrifying that he thought the turps was water but thankfully Bill realised in time."
Based on the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, about retirees going to live in India, the BBC show has a group of new celebrities heading to Kerala.
Bill will be joined by Amanda Barrie, former snooker player Dennis Taylor, Paul Nicholas, Sheila Ferguson, Dr Miriam Stoppard, Rustie Lee and Lionel Blair.
Real Marigold Hotel: Bill Oddie thought the poison was water
The Real Marigold Hotel season two starts tomorrow
The bird watcher formed a close friendship with Miriam as the skeptics of the group, which saw him refuse to join the morning yoga sessions.
"I’d have been a little fat bloke trying to get into positions that only young, thin people should do," Bill added.
Series two of The Real Marigold Hotel begins tomorrow at 9pm on BBC One.