Colin Firth's weight watcher

Feb 12, 2010, 12:07 GMT

Colin Firth's director offered to pay to help him lose weight.

The British actor admits he realised he had a problem with his size after 'A Single Man' filmmaker Tom Ford started dropping hints he needed to be in better shape for his role in the movie.

He said: "He tended to handle me in honeyed terms, such as, 'You look great, really great, just as you are, but if you want to get a trainer to come to your house every day, I'll pay for it.'

"That means you're fat. And I guess he did me a favour. I made one final push in the war against gravity in my late forties. It was probably helpful."

However, the 49-year-old star - who portrays gay college professor George Falconer in the movie - admitted he declined the director's offer after finding it easier than he expected to lose weight.

He told the Daily Record newspaper: "I didn't do much. I just ate less, I guess."

Colin recently revealed he could relate to his character's depressed state of mind because he has spent the past two decades pining over his youth.

He said: "I could relate to George's midlife crisis because mine has been going on since I was about 30. I have been in one for at least 20 years. I guess as long as midlife is there, the crisis will be there. I find it very hard not to be 19. I miss that time."