Aussie 'Idol' favourite denies gay rumours

The favourite to win the second series of Australian Idol has set the record straight over his sexuality.

Clean-cut Anthony Callea, 21, spoke in response to rumours circulating on internet message boards down under.

"I’m not gay," he told the Sunday Mail. "I don’t know why people say I am. A lot of people just make up rubbish."

The boards of the show's official website had been swamped with messages questioning his leanings - with supporters of the theory pointing towards his overuse of hair product, microphone technique, manicured eyebrows and Italian heritage.

Asked what he thought of his gay following, Anthony replied: "It’s fine by me. Whoever buys the albums, I don’t care. It’s cool." He added that although he gets plenty of numbers from female admirers, "I don’t think I’ll be ringing them. I just don’t have time for it."

Last year's winner Guy Sebastian was plagued by similar rumours.