Sir Rod Stewart has credited playing football with helping to keep him off drugs

He told the BBC: "I never was a really druggy person, because I played football all the time and I had to be match fit."

Rod confessed he has "dabbled" in drugs, but doesn't touch such substances nowadays.

He said: "I would use the word dabble. I've dabbled in drugs, but not anymore."

The father-of-eight prefers to wake up in the morning to see several of his offspring have sent him messages while he has been asleep, admitting it is a "gorgeous" feeling.

He said: "I've got eight kids all together, so sometimes I'll wake up in the morning and see all these messages, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart, Stewart... and it's all the kids. It's just gorgeous."

And Rod is constantly reminded of his back catalogue by his youngest son, 14-year-old Aiden, who has been busy working his way through his father's legendary tracks.

Rod explained: "He's gone back and listened to everything I've done, bless him.

"He knows songs that I don't even remember recording!"

As well his music, including legendary tunes I Don't Want to Talk About It, Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?, and Sailing, Rod is known for his distinctive rooster-like hairstyle.

While he has previously denied rubbing mayonnaise into his tresses to get it to achieve its gravity-defying look, Rod has confessed he used to massage sugared hot water into his scalp to achieve his desired look.

He said: "I used to use sugared hot water, before the days of hair lacquer. And I couldn't afford hair lacquer, anyway."