Los Angeles, Jan 2 (IANS): Singer James Blunt is grateful the coronavirus pandemic forced him to spend more time with his family because he'd spent so long promising his wife he'd take a year off and knowing he wouldn't do it.

Blunt said: "I've been on tour for 17 years and I'd been lying to my wife saying I'd take a year out and spend time at home - then the pandemic forced my hand. And it was amazing. I felt very, very fortunate to be able to do that."

He shared that keeping his personal life private is "a conundrum", reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Blunt said: "I'd rather not even mention I have children but then my job is to write deeply personal things that people connect with because they share the same emotions. I do find it incredibly hard to know where I'm comfortable stopping."

The 47-year-old singer doesn't think he's the right person to ask for relationship advice, although he and Sofia have been together for nine years.

Blunt joked: "I'm probably not the person to ask about love because lots of my songs are about lost love, missed chances of love, or broken love. The secret to longlasting love? I have no idea. My father's advice was, 'Be kind to each other', which seems like simple advice for all relationships."

Blunt is "emotionally stunted" so is pleased his music gives him the opportunity to express his feelings.

He told Red magazine: "I'm known for soppy, overemotional music, so the notion of me not being able to shed a tear seems silly, but then I'm an ex-military, ex-boarding school English male, with almost no emotion associated with me at all. I'm emotionally stunted. But I capture how I feel through my songs."