Pop legend Rick Astley has opened up about his 1993 breakdown.

The Never Gonna Give You Up singer, who saw a meteoric rise to fame with the smash hit in 1987, was driving on the M4 when he realised his heart wasn't in his pop star career any more.

Speaking to MailOnline , Rick revealed that the birth of baby girl Emilie in 1992 was a turning point for him.

He said: "Having Emilie in 1992 changed what I wanted in life. The music business is littered with people losing the plot.

"I was already taking trains and driving in Europe, I didn't want to fly any more. I had control over nothing.

Rick shot to fame in the late 80s
He made a return to music in the run-up to his 50th

"I'd made enough money to say, 'I don't need to do this.'"

He was a millionaire by that point and had more than enough money to take a break from the mad and frantic pop world.

In 2007, though, he was invited to join an 80s music tribute tour called Here And Now.

Rick said he was talked into it by his wife and daughter.

He had a breakdown n 1993

"I'd always said I was over it," Rick told, "but I got an offer to go to Japan, and Lene and Emilie wanted to go.

"It was with the other groups of my era, heritage acts, has-beens, whatever you call us. I loved it."

He's been penning new songs recently, especially during the run-up to his 50th, three years ago.

Recording in his garage and playing every instrument himself, the resulting album went to platinum - and now he's set to release a greatest hits album.

Rick dished: "If the songs are 30 years old, you want to do something different, but people still want them."

He said of his voice: "It's matured over the years. A great thing about working from home is there's no clock ticking.

"If I'm in the mood, I'll sing. But if my voice doesn't get any better I'll say, 'Let's leave it as it is.'

"It's more me, this voice."