Princess Diana's lover Dodi Fayed was a cocaine fiend who trawled illegal gay clubs at dawn looking for hedonistic highs, an astonishing new book reveals.

Fayed, who died in the Paris car crash with Diana almost 20 years ago, always had 'amazing coke' when he set off on his jaunts to 'dangerous' parties in abandoned buildings.

The playboy was a regular at Manhattan's Studio 54, where supermodels, pop stars and Hollywood legends got high on drugs and often had sex in hidden corners of the sprawling club, according to Mark Fleischman in his new memoir 'Inside Studio 54,' out September 19.

Before he loved Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed (second left) 'loved Quaaludes, good quality coke and hot women' according to former Studio 54 owner Mark Fleischman. He spent his times with Hollywood royalty at the New York club including Christopher Reeve (left), Liza Minelli (center) and Roy Halston (far right)

The playboy was famous for his drug-fueled nights on the town in New York City before he became Princess Diana's lover

'Dodi loved Quaaludes, good quality coke and hot women and he always had plenty of those,' writes Fleischman, who owned the club between 1981 and '84.

The two men became so close that they regularly went scouring illegal clubs at 5am in what was then one of the most dangerous areas of downtown New York.

Dubbed the 'dawn patrol,' the duo and a posse of celebrity drug-abusers, including singers Liza Minnelli, Rick James and Joe Cocker, tennis ace Vitus Gerilaitis and Hollywood giants Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Robin Williams, John Belushi and Nick Nolte would take limos to impromptu parties in boarded-up buildings.

'Dodi, son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, who owned Harrods of London at the time, always had the most amazing coke,' Fleischman writes.

Crisco Disco – named for a brand of cooking oil used as a 'popular lubricant for gay men' – was one of the posse's favorite haunts.

Fleischman writes that owner Hank Davis looked like a 'gay vampire…and took particular pleasure in watching us snort a mixture of cocaine and ketamine, or Special K, a mild hallucinogenic power he slipped into the mix unbeknownst to the crowd.'

Mark Fleischman (right) owned Studio 54 between 1981 and 1984. His new book 'Inside Studio 54' reveals he and Dodi Fayed were part of the 'dawn patrol' and would search for clubs after hours

Farrah Fawcett, pictured dancing with then boyfriend Ryan O'Neal, was one of the starlets who frequented Studio 54

Fleischman said Robin Williams (pictured with then wife Valerie) spent most of his time in the DJ booth 'fascinated' by the action on the dance floor below

The author said Williams would come out with him and Fayed to look for clubs at 5am in the dangerous part of New York City

Manic 'Mrs Doubtfire' star Williams spent most of his time in the DJ booth 'fascinated' by the action on the dance floor below.

'He had an enormous appetite for coke and alcohol and appeared to mellow out somewhat when high on coke,' Fleischmann says.

'Hank's special mix seemed to calm him down, making him less manic, more mellow and able to relax and just enjoy himself.'

Recalling other posse members' drug habits, Fleischmann says Belushi was 'very funny but had a mean streak when drunk and stoned. I suspected he was freebasing.'

Oscar-winning Lemmon was 'witty and charming but seemingly extremely sad late at night when speaking about his coke habit' and 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' star Nolte was an 'absolute wild man.'

Fleischman says the posse attended similar parties several times a week and he graphically describes having anonymous sex in the VIP area with a woman he'd met moments earlier – something considered 'normal' in the pre-Aids era.

He also recalls one of his worst mistakes – a 'lost' New Year celebrating Dodi Fayed's success as executive producer of the Oscar-winning movie 'Chariots of Fire' on his private jet.

'Anything goes' Studio 54 (bartenders, pictured) was famous for anonymous hookups. Fleischman said he once had anonymous sex in the VIP area with a woman he'd met moments earlier

Studio 54 attracted hoards of A-listers including Raquel Welch, pictured chatting with Steve Rubell and Mark Fleischman

'I became intoxicated with the scene' Fleischman described Studio 54 as a sexual free-for-all, saying anything went in the ladies lounge and Rubber Room

'We were being entertained by several very attractive 'hot to trot' flight attendants,' he writes in the book, which is published by Rare Bird Books in September.

The party continued in New York – and Fleischman's long-suffering girlfriend finally dumped him.

'I lost track of what day it was, forgot about my plans for later and partied through the night in a suite at the Plaza Hotel with Dodi,' he writes.

'I wish I could remember some of the details of that night. I know it was a hell of a party but I remember nothing – only the consequence I suffered – losing a truly incredible woman who I had been crazy about.'

Eventually a drugged-out Fleischman checked into the Betty Ford Clinic, sold Studio 54 and now runs a health resort in California.

But the twice married father of one still fondly recalls his favorite celebrities in the 323-page book, including Rolling Stone Mick Jagger and his friendship with socialite Gwynne Rivers, who was just 14 when she started going to the club.

Andy Warhol (pictured at Christopher Atkins' Birthday Party) and other iconic artists from the eighties were regulars at Studio 54

I was swept into a world of celebrities, drugs, power and sex' Fleischman eventually checked into checked into the Betty Ford Clinic, the same clinic Liza Minelli checked into in the eighties, and sold the club

They were once photographed with their arms around each other – infuriating Jagger's then partner Jerry Hall.

Jagger's ex wife Bianca and fellow Stones Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood were also regulars at Studio 54, along with a roster of A listers including Jack Nicholson, Ryan O'Neal, Farrah Fawcett, Cher, Goldie Hawn, David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Andy Warhol, Drew Barrymore, Heather Locklear, Christie Brinkley, Stephanie Seymour and Linda Evangelista.

Summing up his time at the club, Fleischman's writes: 'I was swept into a world of celebrities, drugs, power and sex.

'I was the ringleader for nearly four years and I became intoxicated with the scene – bodies gyrating on the dance floor, sex in the balcony and anything goes in the ladies lounge and Rubber Room.'

He adds that the 'Sodom and Gomorrah scene' was possible because the club's nooks and crannies were 'perfect for sexual interaction.'