Eric Dane has given a brutally honest account of his battle with drug addiction while he was working on Grey's Anatomy.
The late actor lifted the lid on his life in Hollywood in his memoir My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments - which he wrote prior to his death in February aged 53 after being diagnosed with degenerative neurological disorder ALS - and Eric revealed he looked "gaunt" and his attitude changed as he struggled with alcohol and prescription drug abuse during a 2008 relapse while making the medical drama.
In an extract of the book published by PEOPLE, Eric recalled: "“My body goes to s***. I drop to 170 [pounds], my face caves in, my eyes cloud, I look gaunt.
"I look like a drug addict. You can tell. I can tell. My attitude on set changes."
Eric - who played Dr. Mark Sloan in the show - sought treatment for his addiction five times during his time working on the show and he did manage to stay sober, but he eventually realised he needed a new challenge.
He wrote: "Over time, I come out improved. I do my best. I manage my addictions, I stay sober on set. Things have changed.
"Look at me. Physically, I appear healthy. But mentally, I’m on my way out. I love Mark Sloan, but I need to quit him. I feel as if I’ve squeezed every ounce of life out of that character, have investigated and mined every nuance of his being.
"I’ve spent eight years living in his skin, and my time has come. I’ve had enough. But I don’t know how to get off that train."
His character was killed off in a car accident in season eight, but he did return for a brief dream sequence in season 17 which aired in 2021 - and Dane explained he was ditched from the cast for financial reasons.
He wrote: "My Grey’s Anatomy ending does come, but not because of my addiction, although it’s safe to say my addiction didn’t help.
"The reason comes down to mone. Despite Mark Sloan’s popularity, I have become too expensive. I have become expendable."