Frankie Dettori last night expressed his "horror" at a press release issued to publicise a television programme in which he admits taking drugs to keep his weight down.

And the former champion jockey is considering legal action against the BBC over the contents of the release which suggested he still took pills to control his weight.

The press release was issued to publicise an item in the BBC Newsnight programme in which Dettori admitted using diuretics in the past.

The programme also reveals a drug testing report out next month shows a huge increase in the number of jockeys testing positive for diuretics.

Although diuretics have been outlawed by the International Olympic Committee's for years, the Jockey Club only banned the use of them in June this year when it realised there was a significant rise in positive test results.

A statement issued by Dettori's business manager Peter Burrell last night said: "We received notification of a press release relating to an item to be broadcast by the BBC on Newsnight at 14.30 hours today.

"The contents and headline of the release are totally incorrect, misleading and defamatory.

"We notified the BBC to withdraw and retract to minimise the damage that this press release has caused Mr Dettori. "We have not seen the contents of the programme and at this stage Mr Dettori's reaction is one of horror, shock and disbelief.

"We are taking considerable legal advice and have been told by a national newspaper that the BBC have been trying to alter the contents of their misleading press release."