British singer Morrissey has hit out at enduring speculation he enjoyed a homosexual relationship with his former The Smiths bandmate Johnny Marr.

The songwriting duo joined forces in 1982 when Morrissey was approached by the guitarist, but their acclaimed partnership was plagued by gay rumours.

He says, "There was a love and it was mutual and equal but it wasn't physical.

"There are lots of people post-Smiths who would like to make some dramatic homosexual story. There never was one.

"It's often said that Johnny rescued me but he was also bobbing about in his own lifeboat."