The ex-partner of Senator Derryn Hinch has claimed he is drinking again, despite the former alcoholic promising to quit following his 2011 liver transplant.

Travel blogger Natasha Chadwick, who recently split with the former radio personality, ‘outed’ Mr Hinch a day after the senator hinted on Twitter there was animosity between the pair.

“Derryn Hinch has been back on booze for 12+ months,” wrote Ms Chadwick, who also claimed the MP’s favourite drop was ‘Gossips’ – which retails for $3.99 at Dan Murphy’s.

She later told Sky News she had once discovered Mr Hinch asleep “reeking of booze”, and that he would occasionally drink up to two bottles of wine.

The senator responded by claiming he occasionally drinks “watered down” wine and “ultra light” beer, and referred to Ms Chadwick as a “bunny boiler” – or a scorned lover.

Ms Chadwick responded with a tweet she later deleted.

“Playing it down. Not surprised. Not always diluted. Not only special occasions. But … he’s a politician. Lies are acceptable,” she wrote.

In 2006, researchers published a study in the journal Liver Transplantation that found 20 per cent of liver recipients return to frequent drinking five years after their transplant.

Natasha Chadwick and Derryn Hinch in 2014. Photo: AAP

The ‘professional alcoholic’

In 2007, Mr Hinch announced he was suffering cirrhosis of the liver, caused by long-term alcoholism.

“I don’t drink now, never will again. If I get a titanium liver, I still won’t drink again,” Mr Hinch told a forum for Alcohol Related Brain Injury Australian Services in Melbourne in 2008.

He described himself as a former “professional alcoholic”.

Mr Hinch told radio he would not be remaining friends with Ms Chadwick. Photo: Facebook

“I never missed a day from alcohol, didn’t have hangovers, had the constitution of an ox and always turned up for work,” Mr Hinch said.

Following Ms Chadwick’s Twitter accusation, Mr Hinch announced his doctor, surgeon Bob Jones, had given him the all clear to drink alcohol in small amounts.

“It is true that, even though the Senate dining room and Hyatt Canberra now stock my alcohol-free Edenvale wine, I have occasionally known to drink real wine,” he wrote in a statement.

Mike Ahern, head of the National Liver Foundation, told AAP liver transplant patients should not drink alcohol under any circumstances.

“Alcohol is your enemy,” he said on Tuesday.

“You can’t say, ‘I can have a couple of drinks on a Saturday night’. The answer is no. You must stay off it completely.”

The Transplant Society of Australia and New Zealand also recommends recipients avoid alcohol completely.

Chadwick rejects ‘bunny boiler’ tag

“Look I’m getting a taste of the bunny boiler treatment here,” Mr Hinch said on radio on Tuesday.

At my age should have learned: HHNF. Hell hath no fury….

— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) September 19, 2016

The phrase refers to a character in the film Fatal Attraction who boils her ex-partner’s rabbit in rage.

Ms Chadwick rejected the label on Sky News later on Tuesday.

“I’m not lurking around Melbourne, I sure won’t be sneaking into his apartment,” she said, alleging Mr Hinch’s drinking had increased once they stopped living together.

“I noticed that we started to drink more, he would drink at home, he would have glasses of wine when we went out.”

Ms Chadwick said she didn’t recall threatening the senator that she would reveal the information.