The playboy who was a friend of the stars

Sheene had numerous celebrity friends including George Harrison (left) after first meeting the Beatle on a visit to a Formula One race in 1977. The sight of the pair together at race meetings was a regular occurrence.

He also knew Eric Idle, who recorded the song Mr Sheene in 1982. F1 star James Hunt (right) was another friend. The pair had a carefree attitude to life and shared sponsors, including Texaco and Brut.

Such were Sheene’s angelic looks that a number of his relations said he was ‘too pretty to be a boy’ (right) — and he was always a hit with the ladies (above).