Max George: My Drinking Caused Michelle Split

Michelle Keegan.

The Wanted heart throb Max, 25, told The Sun that he blames his heavy drinking for the Coronation Street actress deciding to dump him.

But he insists that accusations by the press that he was "cheating" on her were unfounded - because they had already secretly split.

"Michelle had ended our relationship three months before anyone knew," he explained.

"I had a real problem with drinking too much and that was, without doubt, the downfall of our relationship. It made me a different person, even if I didn’t think it at the time.

"I can't even remember some of the two years I was with her because I was getting drunk every night."

However Max claimed that the unhappy relationship was part of the reason for his alcohol abuse.

"I was drinking more to forget the fact I was with someone who wasn't making me that happy."

And he confessed that he thought they had taken things too quickly.

"That was my fault. I do tend to dive in full on, with everything in my life.

"I tried to kid myself it would work out OK, but the moment she said she didn't want to be engaged any more I knew that something was wrong. It was a whirlwind. I don't regret it because you shouldn't regret anything you do. You learn."

Max has recently been engaged in a war of words with alleged one-night-stand partner Jasmine Lennard.