Talking exclusively to Music Week, Bowie recalls an early Eighties show in which he claims Giddings secretly stepped in to take the singer's place.

"Back in 1982, I had a gig on the old Dieppe-Newhaven ferry which should have started at the stroke of 9.15," says Bowie. "Well, as it would happen, I had the mother of all ear-aches so I shut myself in the cabin for the night.

"The next morning I was told that John had jumped ...