Manu Feildel: 'My son is very proud of me'

Manu Feildel has revealed that his son is very "proud" of him.

The 38-year-old celebrity chef, who is currently competing in this year's Australian version of Dancing with the Stars, says that when he takes 6-year-old Jonti to school, his friends start "cheering" his name.

Feildel and his partner of 12 years separated at the end of 2009 and currently share custody of their child, but the star says that Jonti is "very understanding" of their situation.

"When we spend time together we do what dads and sons do," he told Woman's Day magazine. "We love going to the cinema. Every kids' movie that comes out, we're the first ones to go and see it. We go to the park and the beach and all the normal stuff. He's like me in so many ways. He's a clown. Physically he's like me and he can be grumpy, which is like me as well. But he's very loving. We're best mates."

Feildel revealed that Jonti has been watching him perform on Dancing with the Stars "every single Sunday". He added: "I call him after my dance. I ask him what he thought about it. He wants me to be on top of [the scoreboard], that's for sure."

He also said that he finds his heartthrob status "very strange", saying: "It is flattering of course, I'd be lying if I said it isn't. You know, a man always has a bit of an ego but it can get embarrassing sometimes for sure. But it's not hard to deal with."

Feildel was recently announced as the new host of a dinner dating show, but said that he is "not in a hurry" to find love himself.

After Samantha Armytage's elimination from the dance contest last night, Feildel will now battle it out with WAG Haley Bracken and singer Damien Leith in next week's grand final.

Watch Manu Feildel perform in this year's Dancing with the Stars below (Australian users only):