Fatboy Slim pulls gig for treatment

Fatboy Slim has been forced to cancel his appearance at next week's Snowbombing festival in Austria after doctors advised him it could jeopardise his progress in battling his problems with alcohol.

The 45-year-old DJ, whose real name is Norman Cook, voluntarily checked himself into a clinic earlier this month. He was due to headline the festival's 10th anniversary.

In a statement, Cook's management company said that he was "very upset", adding that "his treatment is taking a little longer than he'd hoped for".

The DJ said: "I'm choked to be missing out on the gig in the mountain forest, but I really hope Snowbombing will have me back for another crack at it next year.

"Sorry to let you down folks."

Fatboy Slim's position on the line up has been taken by 2 Many DJs.

Cook has previously spoken at length about his relationship with alcohol. In a candid interview in 2005 he revealed that booze helped him to transform into his onstage persona.

He explained: "Fatboy Slim is my alter ego - he's confident, a bit of a show-off. It takes me until midnight to psych myself into him.

"Externally, the difference between me and him is a bad Hawaiian shirt and half a bottle of vodka. Sometimes it feels a little undignified but I never seem to get tired of getting drunk."