A former priest from Kent told the nation that he "loves a toyboy" as he appeared on Jeremy Kyle today.

Retired clergyman Philip Clements 79, from Eastry and 25-year-old Romanian model Florin Marin were invited onto the ITV talk show after their turbulent relationship reached the headlines.

The pair, who travelled to Manchester to film last month, were married in April 2017 but announced their split just four months later. They've since reconciled but are living apart.

Their turbulent marriage was the first topic of discussion on the popular talk show with Mr Clements explaining to the host that they met via a dating website.

He said: "The picture of him on Gaydar in his birthday suit... I fell for that!"

They went on to discuss how an age gap can affect a relationship with Mr Marin's desire to go clubbing into the early hours causing quarrels.

Mr Clements also revealed their sexual relationship is restricted because of his age and because he has undergone treatment for his prostate.

He said the two therefore have an open relationship but he has asked Mr Marin to tell him if he sleeps with somebody else.

During times of separation in their marriage, the two have both admitted to dating others. Mr Clements had a short romance with a 22 year-old student.

He told the audience: "I love a toy boy, which may seem unusual for a priest, but priests are human."

Dressed in his typical flamboyant clothing, Mr Marin was then welcomed to the stage and the two men embraced with a hug.

The male model received a grilling over claims he is a gold digger.

But he said he wasn't, although he loves the nickname. "It's beautiful", he said.

"Why?" asked Mr Kyle. "Because the people are interested in me," he responded.

Mr Kyle also confronted Mr Marin about his body language, particularly that he looks unhappy in many of his pictures with Mr Clements.

Mr Marin protested that he was happy.

Asked why they agreed to go on the show, Mr Clements said: "We want to show people that we're normal. I'm not a dirty old man.

"People who meet us know us as ordinary people. We've got nothing to feel ashamed about and everything to proclaim."

Mr Kyle, who admitted during the programme that his fiancée is some 16 years younger than himself, closed the conversation by advising the pair to spend more together.

He said: "You have to live life the way that you want to, as long as you're not breaking the law."

Commenting that Mr Clements is the same age as his dad, he said: "I hope that you don't get hurt.

"You should spend as much time as you can together. Forget the age gap and forget the newspapers."

Mr Clements and Mr Marin married in a low-key ceremony at Ramsgate Register Office in April 2017, in a public stance against Church of England rules that bar clergymen from same-sex marriage.

Mr Clements then sold his £214,000 Eastry home to buy a flat in Mr Marin's native city Bucharest where they planned to start a new life together.

But just weeks after the clergyman transferred ownership of the flat over to his young love, the pair split and Mr Marin later admitted on Romanian Fashionista TV that he was dating someone else.

Mr Clements returned to the UK practically penniless and has settled in an annex attached to a friend’s home.

Despite going their separate ways just months after tying the knot, the two didn't cut all contact.

In May this year, Mr Clements admitted 'his heart was still with Florin.' He travelled to Elche in Alicante, Spain - where Mr Marin now lives - and the two celebrated their first wedding anniversary together. They continue to make plans for the future.

Mr Clements, a former Dover Grammar School pupil, worked at libraries in Deal and Sandwich before beginning his training for the Anglican ministry and was once the chaplain of St Bart’s Hospital, Sandwich.

Since his retirement in 1999 he has helped out in the churches and schools of Eastry, Tilmanstone and Northbourne. He is also a published poet.