MICHAEL WINNER - WINNER'S NEW LEASE ON LIFE

British moviemaker MICHAEL WINNER is toasting a more positive outlook on life after overcoming his life-threatening illness last year (DEC06). The 72-year-old DEATH WISH director beat the deadly bug he caught while holidaying abroad at Christmas, splurging $1.45 million (GBP750,000) on seven life-saving operations in the process. And despite admitting the pain and price took their toll, Winner is adamant his strong personality pulled him through. He says, "If you suffer adversity you either shoot yourself - and there were times when I would happily have done that - or you see it through. Since I don't have a gun, that is what I've had to do."