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Listen to John Lennon's ex wife talk about life with the former Beatle, how fame changed their lives and why John remains such a much-loved figure.

On whether being married to John caused a problem to the Beatles' image, getting to know John at art college and his early ambition to make it as a musician, John's cruel streak and how meeting Yoko Ono brought it out and the significance of the number nine.
 
"...During the marriage there was none of that cruelty, probably, mainly because (The Beatles) were away most of the time, you know, they were working, they were successful...that insecurity and that panic and that aggression always came out during our relationship before we got married. After we were married it was perfect.
 
"I mean, truly, it was a really, really good relationship....but when he went completely off the rails in terms of another relationship, which is Yoko, then I think the cruel streak came back again, because he was defending what he had done - he'd chosen Yoko; he'd abandoned his wife and child - he wasn't popular at that time - then the aggression came out again." [Click here to listen]
 
 
On her and John's wedding day, being married to John for 6 years, taking LSD and how John embraced the drug, on the truth behind the meaning of 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds', 'Hey Jude' and her relationship with son Julian Lennon.
 
"(On her wedding day) It was pouring down with rain, Paul (McCartney) and George (Harrison) arrived in black suits, John was in his black suit, Brian (Epstein) was in his pinstripe suit...and then (John) was whisked off to a concert that night and I moved into Brian's flat which he gave us very kindly for the time we needed it

"...Although it was a very, very serious time and although it had happened so quickly, you know, with me being pregnant, it was more of a joke - truly. The memory of that is great - I wouldn't have had a white wedding for anything. I'd much rather have memories of that." [Listen]
 
 
On her stable marriage, why John couldn't be a good father, raising Julian, whether Yoko Ono broke up her marriage, realising it was the end of the marriage and life after the split.
 
"...I was totally cut off but thankfully I had a family who were very strong. I had a lot of friends outside the Beatles situation and they all supported me in many ways...I had one conversation with John in America when I took Julian there after 4 years to see him see him again. That was quite nice, that was very tranquil...we did have a very nice conversation which at least broke the ice so I did speak to him before he died." [Listen]
 
 
On what made John Lennon special, his murder and her new husband.
 
"I think he was a genius - a genius in his creativity, a genius in his wit, a genius in so many different things but a flawed genius in many other ways so there's half of him is flawed and the other half is the exact opposite...he touched everybody's hearts..." [Listen]