Antony Worrall Thompson has apologised following his arrest for shoplifting.
The 'Ready Steady Cook' star - who was given a formal caution by police for stealing cheese and wine on five separate occasions in 16 days from a Tesco store in Henley, Oxfordshire - said sorry for "letting down" his family and friends, and he now plans to "seek treatment".
In a statement on his official website, he wrote: "I am so sorry for all my recent stupid and irresponsible actions; I am of course devastated for my family and friends, whom I've let down and will seek the treatment that is clearly needed.
"I am not the first, and I certainly won't be the last person to do something without rhyme or reason - what went through my head, only time will tell.
"Of course, I must also apologise sincerely to Tesco, with whom I'm had a long and genuine working relationship, and to all the staff at the Henley branch, many of whom I've got to know over the years.
"Once again, I am so sorry and hopefully in the future I can make amends."
The 60-year-old celebrity chef is thought to have been secretly filmed by staff when they became suspicious he was not paying for all his goods.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "He was ordering blocks of cheese at the deli counter, taking bottles of wine, then putting some things through the scanner but walking out with the rest.
"They caught him on camera doing it more than once, but had to be 100 per cent sure it was not a genuine mistake before apprehending him. Because of his high profile, the security staff could not afford to get it wrong."
He was given a formal caution by the police and anyone given one must admit the crime for which it is received.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "We arrested a man from High Wycombe following a report of shoplifting offences.
"The man has been issued with a formal caution for these offences."
Copyright (C) bangshowbiz.com 2012.
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