Charlie Sheen says he has 'work to do' in recovery

LOS ANGELES - "Two and A Half Men" star Charlie Sheen on Wednesday spoke out for the first time since he began a rehab program following reports of his wild partying, saying in a statement he has "a lot of work to do." Sheen was hospitalized on Jan. 27 after he reportedly had a 36-hour drug and drink-fueled party at his home. The actor, long known as a Hollywood bad boy, began a rehabilitation program the following day, causing production on his top-rated "Two and A Half Men" program to shut down. "I have a lot of work to do to be able to return the support I have received from so many people," Sheen said in a statement to the media on Wednesday. "And to my fans, your good wishes have touched me very much," Sheen said. "Like Errol Flynn, who had to put down his sword on occasion, I just want to say, 'thank-you,'" he said. Sheen, the highest paid actor on U.S. TV, thanked his colleagues on "Two and A Half Men," as well as CBS Corp chief executive Les Moonves and Warner Bros studio TV head Bruce Rosenblum for their support. The No. 1-rated comedy is produced by the TV wing of Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros studio, and it airs on CBS. The show generates huge revenues for the studio and network. A Warner Bros spokesman has said 16 of the 24 scheduled episodes of "Two and A Half Men" for the TV season ending in May had been taped, with 8 remaining to be shot. Sheen was initially said by his spokesman to be entering a rehab facility last Friday, but then media reports had him seeking counseling at home. Sheen's spokesman has since declined to comment on the actor's treatment plans, citing U.S. law dealing with patient privacy. Separately on Wednesday, authorities released the audio recording of a phone call Dr. Paul Nassif made to summon an ambulance for Sheen last week. Nassif told dispatchers he had received a call from Sheen's assistant, who was with him at the home where the actor was reported to be partying heavily. The doctor said he was told not to call an ambulance for Sheen, but did so anyway because he was worried. "I got (Sheen) on the phone and he was very, very intoxicated. Also apparently in a lot of pain. It's kind of weird, the phone call I received," Nassif said in the audio recording. Nassif is a cast member of TV reality show "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." - Reuters