I was silly about stunts: Statham

The Expendables star Jason Statham has admitted he was "silly" to say he can do all his own stunts.

The 44-year-old British action star revealed at the European premiere of his new thriller Safe that now directors know he can do his own stunts he can never get out of it.

Statham said: "I made a silly statement years ago that I would do my own stunts and that's the way it's been ever since.

"I did Transporter with Luc Besson and I ended up doing pretty much everything, so from that day forth it was a slippery slope to try and change things - until I couldn't."

In Safe, Statham plays a down on his luck cage fighter who gets on the wrong side of the New York mafia when he decides to try and help a young girl in trouble.

Statham revealed he found martial arts fighting had got easier over the years as he had become more experienced. "And hopefully better", he laughed.

But he admitted he had to stick to a "priest-like" diet to keep in shape.

He said: "There's Christmas - that gets in the way. Other indulgences also get in the way like beer and good food.

"There's certain times when you get strict and certain times when you're not so in the priest-like mode. You have to have a balance."

Safe is released in cinemas on Friday May 4 2012.