Eric Clapton has blamed Princess Diana for her own death.

The guitar legend, 61, called the late princess - who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 - "a manipulative and sick person."

He told Britain's Sunday Times magazine: "It's not that Princess Diana was responsible for her own death, but I do think she contributed in some way to creating that public hunger. She was responsible for that side of it."

"It's that burning martyr kind of thing, what people will give up for the idea of being a burning martyr."

Clapton, who is currently touring the UK, has also claimed late footballer George Best wanted to die.

Clapton, who has battled heroin and alcohol addiction, claims the alcoholic former Manchester United star, who died of liver failure earlier this year aged 59, wanted to die in the way he did so he would be remembered as a hellraiser.

He added: "It's like he knew if he died this way he would go down in history as being one of the great Irish heroes of all time. And that was more important to him than just being alive and having a good life."

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