'Weirdly happy' – Self Esteem shares love life update with Rylan

The former Indie band singer turned solo performer/actress left little to the imagination on the How to Be in Love programme.

Previously, she has revealed she's bisexual and unwilling to fall into society's male-driven norms.

But the fact she is now in a relationship with a man she has nicknamed 'Aunty' was certainly new to the public domain.

Rebecca – better known as Self Esteem – has been a fearless voice for women's rights in showbiz for years.

Her song-writing, tackling toxic relationships, bisexuality, breakups, sex, and mental health, captures the complexities of the 21st century.

The Anston-born star's views are always uncompromising – they include a reference to extreme physical violence that some male partners are capable of.

Here is a flavour of those in her session with Rylan.

On her first love: "No one fancied me, and then finally, someone's older brother liked this band, Bright Eyes, that I liked. He looked like Donnie Darko (a reference to a psychological thriller). He was lovely and I lost my virginity to him, to Hounds of Love by Kate Bush and it was really lovely and perfect.

"He was fab and he loved me...he couldn't have been a better, nicer first boyfriend." On what love feels like: "The love before I had my enlightenment felt obsessive, like blood pumping and exciting and high octane.

"And then the love I now know, post-enlightenment, it feels like a tightening in my stomach that slowly gets looser and it’s sort of like, the road gets safer the more I fall in love."

On feeling butterflies:

"Butterflies in your stomach is anxiety, because they are making you feel like you might not be what they want."

On her first female crush: "I'm the same age as Lindsay Lohan, this sounds weird, but the American twin in Parent Trap, (1998 film) I was like, 'I love her, I don't know why'."

On negative past relationships:

"All of the worst things that have ever happened to me were because of a dynamic that was created where I had no choice...I owed them and there was no way out.

“To not give what they wanted, my safety would be compromised.

"Ultimately men can f*****g kill you – so you do live your life constantly just trying to make sure that doesn't happen.

“I refuse for it to take away my right to do what I want and be who I am."

On her current boyfriend:

"I've got a fella at the minute, and he's amazing.

"I call him Aunty, because he likes dusting and folding and ironing and growing plants, so it's sort of perfect because he's quiet and I look after him but then he's also like, he's a tall and got a six-pack and everything.

"I can't believe it. Absolutely not what I wanted.

“But here we are, and I'm weirdly happy, and I am being challenged by things that I would thought were definite truths."