No flowers for Cherie, as Tony admits to past passion for princess

The symbol of his party may be a single red rose. But Tony Blair has never said it with flowers in a romantic gesture to his wife.

The symbol of his party may be a single red rose. But Tony Blair has never said it with flowers in a romantic gesture to his wife.

In a television interview with the Channel 4 presenter June Sarpong today, the Prime Minister admits that not once has he sent a bouquet to Cherie during all their married years.

He defends his reluctance to give flowers, saying: "There are other ways of being romantic." And he reveals that he sometimes has to bite his lip when confronted by the public: "The worst thing is when someone is giving you a real earful and you think 'I'm going to say something I will regret'... John [Prescott] gets away with it, but I wouldn't get away with it."

Asked who his favourite pin-up was, he reveals that as a boy he had a poster of Grace Kelly on his bedroom wall.

The revelations form part of a one-hour documentary for T4, Channel 4's youth strand. The programme, Tony and June, also features a studio debate with teenagers and 20-somethings, who grill the Prime Minister on the Iraq war, terrorism, binge-drinking and sex education.

The programme includes a day-in-the-life documentary about Mr Blair as he is followed around by Ms Sarpong. The 24-style documentary (complete with ticking clock and split screens) shows him visiting a drama workshop, as well as enjoying a pint in the local working men's club in his Sedgefield constituency.

Mr Blair says that sometimes he would love to live an ordinary life and to be able to pop down to his local for a drink without being recognised.

His day includes an appearance at David Blunkett's final press conference before the former home secretary's resignation. As they move swiftly from venue to venue, Ms Sarpong asks the Prime Minister how thorough his preparation is. "I'm winging it all the time," he admits.