Geldof: I feared I would not find love

Bob Geldof never thought he would find love again.

The 59-year-old rocker was devastated when his wife Paula Yates - who died of a drugs overdose in 2000 - left him in 1995 but says his relationship with French actress Jeanne Marine helped inspire him to pen new album 'How To Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell'.

He said: "Without love things are utterly empty. Now, that sounds too w***y but it's true.

"I'm so old, so ugly, I thought love would never come my way again.

"Then it did and allowed me to write an album again."

Geldof - who has children Fifi, 27, Peaches, 21, and Pixie, 20, with Yates, and also raises her 14-year-old daughter Tiger Lily from the presenter's relationship with Michael Hutchence - admits he was grateful that Jeanne had no idea about the troubles in his personal life when they first met.

He added: "This record is full of gratitude that Jeanne came along and somehow was able to love this very unlovable person, me.

"You know, this girl from Paris hadn't got a f***ing clue about what was going on and she lands in the middle of this stuff."