(BANG) -Keith Richards sparked fears for his health after slurring his way through an acceptance speech.

The Rolling Stones rocker - who picked up the prize for Best Cameo at Spike TV's Scream 2007 awards for his performance in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' - rocked back and forth as he mumbled his thanks to fans and co-star Johnny Depp in a pre-recorded video message.

Keith, 63, said: "Thank you all fans voting for me in, you know.

"It's a first - it's not my land, usually, to do this sort of stuff, but due to enormous public pressure. I've got to say thank you very, very, much and also to Johnny - who insisted that I play his father."

He added: "We had a great time and it was a wonderful thing. Driving into the Disney studios, I laughed. God, at last I'm working for Mickey Mouse."

It has now emerged Keith's slurred speech - which had the audience at the glitzy Los Angeles ceremony on Friday (19.10.07) in hysterics - could be a side effect of the medication he takes daily to prevent seizures.

The guitarist has taken the powerful drug Dilantin - which slows down nerve impulses in the brain - every day since undergoing brain surgery after he fell out of a coconut tree in Fiji 18 months ago.

Keith - a former heroin addict - has previously joked taking Dilantin means he has to limit his intake of illegal substances.

He said: "The drug I'm on now because of the brain job, Dilantin, means you can't take cocaine any more, which is fine with me."

(C) BANG Media International