Tony Blair wakes up every morning to the sound of the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, he has admitted.

The classic film about the flying car is loved by his two-year-old son, Leo, who watches it each morning.

The prime minister gave an interview to Chat magazine, published on Wednesday, in which he offered a rare insight into his life away from Number 10.

Keeping your family life is the most important thing, it keeps your feet on the ground

Tony Blair

He also revealed he likes to watch The Simpsons with his family.

He said: "Leo loves Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I get up every morning and it's on!

"I enjoyed it the first three times ... Now I know all the words to all the songs."

Tony and Cherie Blair have three sons, Nicholas, Euan and Leo and one daughter Kathryn.

'No soaps'

Mr Blair added: "I like to play the guitar. I'm not very good at it, but I enjoy it.

"I unwind with the kids, too. We watch TV together, that sort of thing.

"I love The Simpsons, but it's difficult to watch soaps because I'm never here for long."

The prime minister said his domestic life was vital in preventing his high-powered work from affecting him too much.

Blair said: "We are a normal family"

Mr Blair said: "Keeping your family life is the most important thing, it keeps your feet on the ground.

"The children cope with having a prime minister for a father because we're a normal family."

He also admitted he only goes shopping when he needs to buy a present for his wife or mother-in-law, Gail Booth, people he jokingly described as "his bosses".

In the kitchen, he appears to admit his shortcomings, and said: "When I cook the kids go on strike! Although Cherie says I do a good roast chicken.

"If the family are away, I'll cook myself bacon and eggs."

The prime minister has been protective of his family in the past, and refused to tell MPs whether Leo was given the controversial MMR vaccine.