Sex Pistols singer John Lydon has backed Brexit, saying “the working class have spoken”.

The musician, 61, better known as Johnny Rotten, hailed Brexiteer Nigel Farage as “fantastic” and said he was keen to shake his hand.

Referencing Farage’s encounter with Sir Bob Geldof on the River Thames ahead of the referendum last year, he said: “After that up the River Thames argument he had with Bob Geldof I wanted to shake his hand because it was silly beyond belief.”

Lydon, who was on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to promote his new book, confessed his support for Brexit, saying: “Where do I stand on Brexit? Well, here it goes, the working class have spoke and I’m one of them and I’m with them.”

He also spoke about “complicated fellow”, US President Donald Trump, and criticised those who he claims have “smeared” him as a racist.

He said: “One journalist once said to me, is he the political Sex Pistol? In a way.

“What I dislike is the left-wing media in America are trying to smear the bloke as a racist and that’s completely not true.

“There are many, many problems with him as a human being but he’s not that and there just might be a chance something good will come out of that situation because he terrifies politicians.

“This is a joy to behold for me. Dare I say, [he could be] a possible friend.”