Rupert Everett has revealed that he had an on-and-off affair with the late television presenter Paula Yates.

Although the actor is homosexual, in his new autobiography he admits to having affairs with a string of famous women including Beatrice Dalle and Susan Sarandon and remains perplexed by his actions.

He told the Daily Mail: "I am mystified by my heterosexual affairs — but then I am mystified by most of my relationships."

Sensationally, he admits to having a relationship with Yates intermittently for six years during her marriage to Bob Geldof before the affair gradually came to an end by itself.

"That side of our relationship was tenuous to say the least, and our lives went in different directions," the star commented.

Everett remained philosophical about whether he could have helped save Yates from her eventual demise and death from an accidental overdose.

He stated: "I am afraid once someone goes off the rails your instinct is to run a mile. Fate took such twists. If Michael Hutchence hadn't died, Paula might have survived. Hers was an incredible story in the limelight. She was just dealt card after card in the last ten years of her life. She came from this weird Fifties TV world of evangelists and actresses [Paula's father was Jess Yates, a TV evangelist]. She was such an English character."