'Why is everyone calling you My Cocaine?' Sir Michael Caine reveals he was once thought to be a drug dealer thanks to Cockney pronunciation of his own name

He's enjoyed a decades-long career and is one of Britain's best-loved movie stars - but Sir Michael Caine's distinctive Cockney accent once landed him in hot water.

The 84-year-old actor has revealed that he was once suspected to be a drug dealer as he mingled with an assortment of well-heeled revellers at an upscale party in Asia - all because of the way he pronounced his own name. 

Speaking on Friday's instalment of The Graham Norton Show, the star said: 'I was at a party in the Philippines and the hostess was looking at me rather nastily and finally she beckoned me over and said, "Are you a drug dealer?"

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'When I said, "No, why do you ask?" she said, "Why is everyone calling you My Cocaine?" You know that story is true because you couldn’t make it up.”

South Londoner Michael made an appearance on the BBC One show alongside Morgan Freeman, 79, his co-star in the upcoming comedy Going In Style.

And Morgan had an anecdote of his own to share about his famously booming voice: 'I am constantly asked to do answering machine recordings but I won’t do any more unless I can charge for it!'

As for whose voice is on his own answering machine, the veteran actor answered: 'The man that installed the equipment. If you don’t know me and you get that voice you’re going to hang up!'

The pair have continued to be in demand in the movies and, as such, have ruled out the possibility of ever officially retiring from the business.

However, Morgan did broach the subject of taking on roles older than his real years, as he said: 'I’ve been playing "old" for a long time...

'I had a drama teacher once that told me that no one old has un-broken movements and that I should imagine that my testicles were glass balls – that’s how I go about – I just walk very carefully!' 

Talking about Alfie and the huge international success his 1966 enjoyed, Michael said: 'It went everywhere except France and when I asked a French friend why that was, he said, "Because we can not imagine an Englishman could make love to 10 women." I said, "Well actually it was 11 and two of those were French!"'

The celebrated screen stars were later joined in the studio by Jack Whitehall and Gemma Whelan, co-stars in the new BBC comedy drama Decline And Fall - and they had a few Hollywood anecdotes of their own to share.

Said comedian Jack: 'I was in a Thailand hotel restaurant with my mum and dad and Steven Seagal was there. His manager came over and said, “We saw you on the Graham Norton Show and you were very funny. Would you like to join us for lunch?"

'So we had lunch with them and it was like a weird Come Dine With Me – at one point Steven was telling my mother how she could kill an attacker with a Samurai sword!'

Talking about starring in Decline And Fall, Jack added: 'I was bragging about my sex scene with Eva Longoria and then it was cut.

'I was very upset, but it wasn’t the best sex scene. I was wearing pyjamas and double sided tape had been used on them and as Eva ripped my top off it pulled out my chest hair and I was literally in tears.'

However, Michael interjected, advising Jack against doing nude scenes as he explained: 'An actor controls the audience and the moment you take your clothes off you have lost them. I have never done nudity and I never would.'

Going In Style reunites Michael and Morgan on screen in what is thought to be their sixth collaboration.

Having previously worked together on Batman films in 2005, 2008 and 2013, the pair also shared the screen in magician film Now You See Me and its sequel.

Their latest offering is crime meets comedy with the message, 'You're never too old to get even'.

Directed by Scrubs' Zach Braff, the film follows Willie (Freeman) and Joe (Caine) who 'risk it all' to get revenge on a bank that absconded with their money.

The Graham Norton Show, which will also feature a performance from Take That, is set to air on Friday at 10:35pm on BBC One.