Sir Tom Jones has admitted his wife of nearly 60 years has been battling depression since she was young.

Speaking to the Sunday Times magazine, Sir Tom, who reportedly had numerous affairs, said his wife Linda has “lost her spark” and has let herself go.

The Welsh singer called his 58-year marriage “rock-solid” and said “all the rest was fun and games”.

Tom Jones
Tom Jones said his 58-year marriage is “rock-solid” (Vince Bucci/Invision/AP)

The pair married when Jones was 16 and he recalls his wife once beating him up at their home in Los Angeles after the story of an affair with a Miss World hit the tabloids.

Sir Tom said: “I stood there and took it. She chinned me. She punched and shouted.”

He has previously said he would not be able to carry on singing if his wife died. Mrs Jones has emphysema and has twice had brushes with cancer.

Tom Jones and wife Linda
With his wife Linda in 1970 (PA)

“She’s the most important thing in my life,” Sir Tom said. “An unbelievable woman. Linda is the love of my life and she still is, even though she doesn’t look like she did. I don’t look like I did, either, but I try my best.”

Sir Tom avoids discussing the affairs in his autobiography, due to be released this week, and also admitted he has only actually read half of the book – which was ghosted by the writer Giles Smith.