The rock and roll lifestyle brings up images of rebellion and debauchery but even rock gods aren’t immune to a broken heart.

Just ask singing sensation Rod Stewart, who opened up about the 20 year age gap that broke down a previous marriage in a revealing interview about love with his current wife, Penny Lancaster.

The 80-year-old Forever Young singer was speaking to The Times when he opened up about his split from ex-wife and former model Rachel Hunter, revealing how their break-up devastated him.

“Rachel left me because she was too young – my sister said I should never have married her in the first place – but it tore me to shreds,” he told the publication.

Stewart was 45 when he met the then 21-year-old Hunter in 1991, the pair marrying three months later. Hunter would leave the gravely voiced singer in 1999 before their divorce was finalised in 2006.

Thankfully, Stewart soon found love again when model Penny Lancaster approached him in a bar looking for his autograph.

Speaking about their charming first encounter, Stewart said he was awestruck by her presence.

“She came up and asked for my autograph, so I said, ‘Do you like dancing?'” he said.

“She was an incredible dancer, gorgeous, 6ft 4in heels, ai-yi-yi.”

In Stewart’s own words, he was “very lucky” to move from “one marriage and into the next”.

Stewart and Lancaster would tie the knot in Italy’s glamorous Portofino in 2007, making it Stewart’s third time down the aisle.

“Now I’m with Penny and she’s got everything I could possibly want,” he added.

Indeed, the couple have beaten the odds, enjoying a loving relationship for an impressive 17 years.

In a previous interview with The Sun, Stewart opened up about his timeless approach to romance, revealing the key to keeping the spark alive with his wife, offering a glimpse into the magic that has sustained their relationship over the years.

“I am an old romantic. We enjoy candle-lit dinners and we are still very much in love with each other,” he said.

“My top tips to keep the romance alive is being honest with each other and talking things through.

“That, and don’t have an argument just before you go to bed after loads of wine. Penny is amazing. A great, great lady.”