Sam Smith was in love with a straight man

Sam Smith has revealed the man who inspired him to write his heartbreaking debut album 'In The Lonely Hour' wasn't gay.

The 22-year-old star - who opened up about his own sexuality earlier this year - has now revealed the man who inspired the heartbreaking lyrics to many of the tracks on his debut album was not someone he had a relationship with.

He said: ''It's really tough to explain. But no, he's not gay. ''Nothing ever happened between us. I know he loved me too, but not in that way.''

He added: ''When I wrote the record I was just really heartbroken - all I wanted to do was go to the studio and write about this guy who I fell in love with.''

Despite admitting that the man in question isn't gay, Smith confessed he thinks people are too quick to turn away love for the wrong reasons.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he explained: ''I feel like love is a massive spectrum. But some people are so bothered about boxes, like the way they look and the way they've been brought up, that they don't let themselves go to fall in love with other people.

''I think that's what happened. He had his guard up a lot.''

 However, the Stay With Me hitmaker remains in contact with the man who inspired his album, In The Lonely Hour. He added: ''He knows - I've told him everything and our relationship is great now. But he's very wary of how he acts around me ... I feel nothing towards him now.

''I'll always love him but I'm not in love with him any more.''