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The Inbetweeners star diagnosed with genetic disease which forces him to quit booze

The Inbetweenesr star James Buckley, who played Jay Cartwright in the iconic sitcom, has revealed he's currently at high risk for a "cardiovascular incident"

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James Buckley can't drink booze because of a genetic disorder(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

The Inbetweeners star James Buckley has been diagnosed with a genetic disease which has forced him to change his lifestyle.

The 38-year-old has had to ditch booze and reckons it might be some form of karma for slagging off people that don't drink. He opened up about his diagnosis on his podcast - At Home With The Buckleys - with wife Clair.

He said: "I've also had health problems as well. Its something to do with my Lipoprotein(a), something to do with that. Theres nothing you can do about it, by the way. And the doctors just been like, 'you need to change.'"

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James has had to change his lifestyle - but he wants a beer "soon"(Image: CAMEO)

He continued: "Im at a high risk now for a cardiovascular incident. My heart, my arteries. Im not a religious man, but sometimes I feel like there is a God that sort of goes 'thatll teach you'.

"I feel like Ive been on this podcast slagging people off that dont drink. Yeah, we have boring stuff. And now Ive been told to try not [laughter] rein it in."

High Lipoprotein(a) is a genetically inherited type of blood cholesterol. But it seems like James won't deprive himself of alcohol for ever, as he added: "But Im going to have a beer soon."

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James' wife Clair was hospitalised recently(Image: Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images)

Actress Clair had her own health battle recently as she was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. The mum-of-two said: "Ive not been very well."

James replied: "No, you ended up in the old hospital there, didnt you? Didnt an ambulance come and take you away?"

Clair explained: "So basically it was some sort of virus that I had had, but it was slowly sort of chipping away at me and I was getting more and more dehydrated and I didnt even really know."

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James played Jay in The Inbetweeners(Image: Channel 4 TV)

Admitting he felt some guilt at not being there initially, James said: "I feel a little bit bad. Because I went away, I was working. And you were calling me up, sort of. Id get to my hotel and Id check, see how youre getting on. Youd be going, Im really ill, Im really sick.

"And I was going, Alright, see how you feel in the morning. I came home and the only way I can describe you, you look like when little weak Lord Voldemort was being carried and hes got his little thin little legs like hanging out and hes got like a little shawl over him!"

James called 999 once he saw how unwell she was. He said: "Got an ambulance, didnt we? Because you couldnt move, you couldnt get in the car and stuff. You were so weak."

Clair, who was clearly feeling much better by the time of the podcast, added: "o anyway, I got taken in and just got pumped full of fluids. There you go."

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