Chris Rea had just been banned from driving when he wrote Driving Home For Christmas.

The 74-year-old singer-songwriter is best known for the 1986 festive tune - which he originally penned for Van Morrison - and he believes his Christmas classic is a "frustrating" song, but also "hopeful and comforting" tune.

He told the Daily Express newspaper: "It's funny, because I'd just been banned from driving when I wrote it.

"But I was feeling good at the time too, and people say they can hear that infectious feelgood mood when they hear it.

"It's got a story everyone can relate to: you're stuck in traffic, when all you want to do is to get home and be with your loved ones. Everyone in the country is doing the same thing at the same time.

"It's a frustrating song, but it's also hopeful and comforting."

Chris told how he gets some laughs from other motorists when they see him belting out his own Christmas song when stuck in traffic.

He said: "I still sing it at other drivers when I'm stuck on the motorway. They love that!"

The star has battled several health issues over the years, including suffering a stroke in 2016, which left him with slurred speech, and he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The treatment left him with diabetes, meaning he must inject himself daily.

However, Chris is slowly recovering and doesn't plan to stop making new tunes anytime soon, admitting: "There's plenty of music left in me yet."

He added: "I've been trying a few different things out: long blues and jazz instrumentals. I'm going back to my roots and seeing where they take me next."