Ten Things You Never Knew About Pete Doherty

Can you remember the last time you got through the day without thinking about Pete Doherty? The exploits of the Babyshambles frontman have kept us all enthralled since he began to hit the headlines in 2004. "He's fallen out with him from the Libertines again," whispers the old woman at the post office. "He's got engaged to that sexy Kate Moss," reveals the man at the supermarket checkout. "He's back on crack," gasps your octogenarian grandmother. But - aside from his songs, his syringe and his supermodel girlfriend - how much do you really know about Pete Doherty? Read on to find out more about the naughtiest, snortiest rocker in the land.

1. Pete comes from a surprisingly stable background: his mother is a retired nurse, while his father used to be an officer in the British Army.

2. Pete was a very brainy boy at school. He passed 11 GCSEs – all at grade A* or A – and four A-levels.

3. As a teenager, Pete won a poetry competition and embarked on a tour of Russia funded by the British Council. They must be so proud of their protegé's latest work. Pete's most recent song – the Kate Moss duet ‘KP Nuts’ – features this gleaming lyrical nugget: "Rot in jail you c**t! Rot, rot, rot, rot, rot, rot."

4. Pete used to compile All Quiet On The Western Avenue, a fanzine for west London football club Queens Park Rangers. His father recalls: "Armed with an Amstrad computer he wrote, edited and printed it and, with the help of his cousin, Adam, flogged it at QPR’s games. It was his pride and joy and everyone was impressed by his efforts."

5. Our favourite Pete hoax? Earlier this year an unknown toy company called, ahem, Fishy Toyz announced that they had created a Pete Doherty doll. The plastic Pete was said to feature a mini crack-pipe that would light up when it was pressed to the reckless rocker's lips. When did Fishy Toyz send out the press release? On April 1...

6. Is Pete broke? During the last tax year his two companies - Babyshambles Touring and Babyshambles Ltd - made a combined loss of almost £20,000. Lucky he's dating a supermodel worth an estimated £45 million, eh?

7. Last year Pete was – gasp! – snapped in his birthday suit alongside Pogues star Shane McGowan. McGowan reveals: "I had my photograph taken with Mr Doherty recently. It was by Mario Testino. Nothing particularly unusual, except he asked us to be naked together, which was pretty unexpected. What’s more unexpected is that we obliged.” Eek!

8. How did Pete earn a crust before he became a rock star? "I was working in a bar, selling drugs, working on a building site and writing poetry in the graveyard shift at The King's Head,” he reveals in Libertines biography Kids In The Riot," "And I was w**king off old queens for like £20.”

9. What does Pete really think of his girlfriend? "Kate knows that I love the bones on her," he insists. "She really is the most amazing person and her love means so much to me. When I was inside she was all I could think about."

10. Pete never wants to own his house. "People are telling me I've got to get my own gaff, that I've got to settle down," he says. "But I still don't believe in the private ownership of property." Our advice? Stick with Kate, sir – you’ll never need to worry about climbing the property ladder.