Hugh Hefner is a hopeless romantic.

The 86-year-old star told America's Esquire magazine: "I'm essentially a romantic, always have been."

Hugh was ditched by busty blonde Crystal just five days before they were supposed to wed in June 2011, but the 26-year-old model decided to give him another chance when she realised how committed he was to her.

She explained: "He believes in love. Hef loves me more than anybody else in a relationship ever has. It took me time away to realise that. I think I realised that here is where I'm meant to be."

Hugh was previously married to Mildred Williams from 1949 to 1959 and Kimberley Conrad from 1989 to 2010, and famously had multiple live-in girlfriends at the Playboy Mansion.

The entrepreneur's younger brother Keith also shed some light on Hugh's need for escapism and romantic fantasies, explaining that they grew up in a home starved of love and affection.

Discussing Hugh - whose favourite film is 'Casablanca' - and his obsession with movies, he said: "Our mother took us very early to movies. We loved it. It was a great escape. I think so much of it ... the dreams ...

"The lack of warmth and affection in our home had a tremendous impact on both of us. There was no hugging and kissing.

"Our mother and father were religious and strong and good puritans ...That's what we didn't have. That's why movies."