Broadcaster Robert Peston has said he “fancied” the late David Bowie.

The political editor, whose first day at ITV was the day the Starman singer died on January 10, discussed his love for Bowie during an interview with the Radio Times.

Previously, the former BBC star said of the rock singer: “He probably had as big an influence on me as anyone, not just in respect of music and fashion, but also gender politics and identity.”

Robert Peston heads ITV's Peston On Sunday (ITV)
Robert Peston heads ITV’s Peston On Sunday (ITV)

Robert’s book Who Runs Britain? makes a reference to his homoerotic feelings for David.

When asked by the Radio Times how homoerotic they were, the 56-year-old said: “I fancied him.”

Robert remembered waking up to John Humphrys announcing the news of David’s death from cancer at the age of 69.

Robert Peston admired David Bowie (Yui Mok/PA)
Robert Peston admired David Bowie (Yui Mok/PA)

“I just went ‘WHAAAA-AAA-T? And then I had to shout up because Max, my boy, loves David Bowie – ‘Max! Max! He’s died!’”

Aficionados will recall he chose Bowie during the period 1966-1976 as his specialist subject on Celebrity Mastermind.

The ITV presenter lost his wife, the writer Sian Busby, to lung cancer in 2012. Their son Max is 19 and Peston’s stepson Simon is 31.

ITV's Robert Peston (Yui Mok/PA)
ITV’s Robert Peston (Yui Mok/PA)

Robert wrote previously about sleeping on a mattress on the floor of his wife’s hospice room during her final days.

“I can imagine now being happy with another woman,” he told the magazine when asked about his romantic life.

Robert started his career in newspapers as a journalist on Investors Chronicle, The Independent and The Independent on Sunday. He worked on the Financial Times, The Spectator, The Times and the New Statesman, to name a few, before joining the BBC in 2005.

Andrew Marr hosts BBC's Sunday morning politics programme (Giles Park/BBC)
Andrew Marr hosts BBC’s Sunday morning politics programme (Giles Park/BBC)

For the immediate future, publicising his new current affairs programme, Peston On Sunday takes priority.

The political interview programme aims to provide viewers with an intelligent and lively approach to politics.

Peston On Sunday has been scheduled to avoid a direct clash with BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, which is broadcast at 9am, and Andrew Neil’s Sunday Politics at 11am.

The Arsenal fan talked with respect about his BBC rivals.

“I’m a very, very, very competitive journalist but I would never badmouth a colleague,” Robert said.

“Anyway, I think they’re all great and I’m not trying to be better than them, I’m just trying to be completely different – I hope that difference appeals to the public.”

Peston On Sunday is broadcast at 10am on ITV.