The Libertines and Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty has revealed that he had part of his ear bit off in a London pub, and a paparazzi bit off part of the other ear.

“I’ve got chunks missing all over the place,” he told the Observer magazine. “I was swinging at the paparazzi – the guy had me by the throat and bit off part of my earlobe.

He added, “Someone else bit off part of my other earlobe in a pub in Stoke. I think he just wanted a souvenir.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Doherty touched on his drug-riddled past, revealing that he’s surprised he’s alive.

“I’ve managed to get out of the addictive cycle – which I maintained all along I was quite happy in – but I was pretty fucked, and I’ve never really admitted to that. I’ve entered a phase of rejuvenation. Marriage is the bolster; I have the love and support of someone I love. I’m blessed to be alive, not sat in a hedge in Old Street, injecting into my groin.”

“I’m surprised I’m not dead. I’ve hedged my bets with all the scrapes, skirmishes and disasters, but I do believe in corny, happy Hollywood endings. I’m not a good guy, but I’m not evil.”

The rock star was jailed for six months in 2011 after he was caught on video taking cocaine by documentary-maker Robyn Whitehead the day before she died of heroin poisoning. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs

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“Prison is really boring. There’s nothing to do but smoke and scowl. I’d get excited when they showed The Simpsons at 6pm. My cellmate would say: “What are you watching this for? It’s shit,” and I’d say: “No, it’s subversive and interesting,” the 43-year-old said of the experience.

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