Depardieu sorry for plane incident

FRENCH actor Gérard Depardieu has said sorry for causing a plane to be grounded for two hours after he tried to urinate into a plastic bottle.

The 62-year-old star was travelling from Paris to Dublin on a CityJet flight on Tuesday evening and was caught short while the plane was queuing for take-off.

He asked cabin crew on several occasions for permission to use the toilet - but was told to wait until the plane was airborne.

Depardieu's entourage said he had an "irrepressible need" and offered him a plastic bottle, which he used "as discreetly as possible" but spilt some on the plane's carpet.

The plane returned to the terminal for cleaning and Mr Depardieu was escorted away by police and told to book another flight.

One of the passengers on the plane told Europe 1: "He said he could not wait. The stewardess was shocked, but no one said anything.

"It all happened with courtesy. Mr Depardieu sat back down and the plane returned to the parking area to be cleaned."

Depardieu was due to fly to Ireland to film Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia.

Photo: Georges Biard/Wikimedia