THERAPY? I'VE GOT SONGWRITING...

London-born Gavin Rossdale found fame with rock band Bush in the Nineties and, for a while, as Gwen Stefani's husband. As he releases a new album, the LA singer discusses ageing, British humour, and the time he (probably) offended Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich

- By John Earls

AS ONE of the most successful rock stars of his generation, a major perk of Gavin Rossdale's stardom came when the lifelong Chelsea fan was invited to stay on the luxury yacht of the Premier League side's controversial owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

Rossdale, his then wife fellow superstar singer Gwen Stefani - and the couple's three sons enjoyed a fabulous break in the South of France. But Rossdale's friendship with the Chelsea owner faltered when he unintentionally made a huge mistake in a note thanking Abramovich for his hospitality.

Recalling the hilarious gaffe, Bush singer Rossdale tells the Daily Express: "I had the best experience, living that glamorous life on a 400ft yacht.

"I was well brought up, so writing Roman a thank-you note was the right thing to do. It felt proper to try to write it in Russian. Al wasn't as smart at the time, and nor was Google Translate. 'Dear Roman' came out as 'Dear Catholic'. I'm not sure what Roman made of my note, but he probably read it and went: 'Who the hell is Catholic?"

Rossdale was initially friends with the oligarch's then wife, Dasha, and admits: "As a Chelsea fan, who wouldn't have wanted to be mates with Roman Abramovich? Dasha was incredibly generous and I lived that life two or three times with her and Roman. I got to play ping-pong with him. But my life isn't like that whatsoever, normally."

Although Rossdale grew up in Swiss Cottage, North London, his band Bush are famed for being more successful in the States than they were back home. They've sold over 10 million albums in the US alone. And while Rossdale and Stefani divorced in 2016 after 14 years of marriage, the rocker still lives in Los Angeles, where he first moved once Bush became a stateside smash.