Gerard Butler gets message from Celtic’s Neil Lennon

Hollywood star Gerard Butler received a message of support from football pal Neil Lennon yesterday after checking out of rehab in America.

The Paisley-born actor was treated for three weeks at the Betty Ford Centre in California after he became too dependent on prescription painkillers.

Lennon became pals with Butler when they played for Celtic Legends in a charity match against Manchester United Legends for Oxfam’s east Africa charity appeal last August.

The Hoops boss tweeted: “Just read about Gerard Butler in rehab. I wish him a speedy recovery #greatguy.”

Friends say the actor’s problems began when he developed extremely bad back pain after filming action movie 300 in 2006.

Previously the 42-year-old star, who has spoken of his wild boozing when a trainee lawyer, revealed it was hard to adjust after the filming ended.

He said: “You can’t be around this kind of equipment and going through this kind of stuff and be so pumped up and not hurt yourself.

“Afterwards I had tendonitis in almost every part of my body. I had a bad injury in my forearm which still comes up if I go to the gym. I had a rotator cuff injury and I pulled my hip flexor.

“Then there was a lot of whacks. Whenever you’re doing a lot of sword fighting you’re always getting whacked in the head or punched.

“When you finish filming your whole routine changes and suddenly you don’t have to do what you did anymore.

“It’s kind of weird. You feel a little lost. You don’t have to hold yourself the same way physically.

“I noticed that even when I wasn’t performing, I was still walking around as the king and talking like him.

“There was definitely a period of adjustment and physical pain because I stopped training. That was the worst thing I could have done.”

He was also involved in a serious surfing accident last December while he was filming Of Men and Mavericks about US surfer Jay Moriarity.

Yesterday, the star was believed to be recovering at home in Los Angeles.

His agent said: “Gerard has completed a successful course of treatment and has returned home in good health. We will not be making any further comment.”