What was the cause of death of comedian and actor Tony Capstick?

Drinking was a problem throughout Capstick's adult life: "He went too early for the top shelf - whisky and brandy - and couldn't handle it," a radio colleague observed. The habit worsened after the collapse of his 28-year marriage to his first wife, Carol, in 1995. A friend who visited him shortly before his death reported that he looked 79, not 59, and that he had polished off a bottle of vodka in two-and-a-half hours.