Sir Paul McCartney has described the public's perception of John Lennon's as “seriously flawed”.

In an interview with the Radio Times, Sir Paul said his late Beatles bandmate was often misrepresented by the media.

He also insisted that, contrary to popular opinion, the pair enjoyed a strong relationship.

"He was a very soft-centred guy and we had a lot in common,” Sir Paul said.

"Whatever bad things John said about me, he would also slip his glasses to the end of his nose and say, 'I love you'."

When asked about rumours that he and Lennon became rivals further into their careers, Sir Paul replied: "Oh, he was on drugs, wasn't he? This is the trouble with history, with journalism.

"John said so much crap that he later said he hadn't meant. It's bullshit.

"The image of John is seriously flawed because he was not the hard, mad man that people think he was."

Lennon was shot dead outside his apartment in New York in December 1980.

(by Jason Gregory)