Pete Doherty - Doherty In 'Heart Failure' Health Scare

British rocker PETE DOHERTY was hooked up to a life support machine last month (Oct09) after his heart stopped beating in a poisoning scare.

The former Libertines frontman was forced to cancel a string of dates after falling seriously ill, while his representatives told the press he had been hospitalised for "exhaustion" in Swindon, England.

But Doherty tells NME.com his condition was much more grave - he experienced heart failure.

He explains, "If I hadn't been on a life support machine I'd have been in Ireland. But my heart stopped. It was a really strange turn of events. Obviously, their (the doctors') immediate thought was that it was to do with drugs, but it wasn't - it was some kind of poisoning. What happened? Well, I don't know, I don't remember. I thought I was a taxi driver offering to take everyone to Elephant and Castle (in south London). I was running into the walls, making steering wheel signs with my hands. And then I just stopped. My body just stopped.

"I woke up and the doctors were asking, 'Do you know your name?' I said, 'Yeah, Peter.' And they said, 'Do you know where you are?' I said, 'Well, I'm in a hospital.' It was like 20 Questions."

Doherty admits doctors are still concerned about his heart rate - but he believes he'll be well enough for Babyshambles' live shows in December (09), adding: "A tour's just what the doctor ordered."