Radio host and TV presenter Chris Tarrant was fined £6,000 and banned from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving.
The 71-year-old admitted to being over the limit while behind the wheel of his Mercedes on December 16 after a member of the public reported him to the police.
Tarrant had spent an hour-and-a-half in the Bladebone public house near his home, where he was served four brandy and ports before getting into his car.
Police were tipped off about his alleged drink driving and officers arrived at his home 13 minutes later.
The court heard Tarrant's breathalyser reading was 50 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit being 35 microgrammes.
Hasrat Ali, prosecuting, told Reading Magistrates Court: "On December 16 Mr Tarrant has been drinking at the Bladebone Public House in Chapel Row, near Bucklebury, Reading, from 12.30pm onwards where he was served four brandy and ports at the bar. He left at 2pm.
"Staff and other members of the public within the public house were concerned he had made the decision to drive home. One member of the public had noticed Mr Tarrant had stumbled near the bar area.
"Police attended his home at 2.25pm, 13 minutes after being called.
"Those that attended spoke to Mr Tarrant who commented that he had just drunk three glasses of wine on arrival at his home address. He was asked to sign the pocket notebook to that affect but he refused.
"When he was interviewed by officers he gave a different version of events, stating he had drunk one brandy and one glass of wine at home."
As he left court Tarrant said: "I made a mistake and I paid for it. I shouldn't have driven. Full stop."
Tarrant said he is "very sorry", and that he drank "just enough to be over", adding: "I honestly didn't think I was over, but apparently I was, so fair enough."
Asked if he thought the punishment was fair, he said: "Yes."