Sir Rod Stewart has claimed Sir Elton doesn't return his calls

Asked about his friend - who has sons Zachary, 10, and Elijah, eight, with husband David Furnish - on the BBC Sounds podcast 'Headliners', Rod laughed and said "who?" before exclaiming: "My old mucker".

He then said: "'He is my old mate. We don’t speak to each other much any more. I miss him.

"I invited his sons to play on my football pitch and never got a reply. We have not spoken since. He just had a hip op so I wish him well. We still love each other."

The 'Maggie May' singer - who has Sarah, 58, from a teenage relationship, Kimberly, 42, and Sean, 41, with first wife Alana, Ruby, 34, with Kelly Emberg, Renee, 29, and Liam, 27, with second wife Rachel Hunter, and Alastair, 15, and Aiden, 10, with current spouse Lady Penny Lancaster-Stewart - admitted he and Elton's only contact now is through the media.

He said: "We have rows - we sort of almost speak through the press!"

Rod admitted in January he made up with Elton to set a good example to his kids.

He said: “I say to my kids, ‘A man apologises, go and apologise to your mother’. We’ve just made up as friends again, me and Elton.

“We’ve always been fierce enemies, as you know, through the years, but it’s always been at a playful level.

“But we had the worst row, like a married couple. It went on forever.”

And the ‘Sailing' singer said he “regretted” lashing out at Elton for his farewell tour.

He added: “I was a bit spiteful when he announced his tour. I regret it, I really do regret it. So we’re mates again now. I do love him.”

His comments came after Elton, 74, said he “bears no grudges” toward Rod, as he confirmed the pair are friends again.

The ‘Tiny Dancer’ singer said: “Rod and I have always had this kind of rivalry but it’s always been very friendly and it’s always been funny and I love him to death.

“We’ve had this rivalry for a long time and it’s been very, very funny, and I love him dearly, and if I saw him in the street I’d give him the biggest hug. There’s no point in carrying on vendettas in this world. Life’s too short.

“Honestly, I don’t bear any grudges about him whatsoever. He gets a Christmas card from me and I wish him the best. You can’t erase all those years of great friendship by just one thing that happened, and I’m not going to do that.

“As far as I’m concerned he’s a brilliant artist who’s had a great career, and he’s such good fun.”