There's no such thing as 'Brand Beckham', says David

Former England football captain David Beckham has rejected suggestions he and wife Victoria stay together for commercial reasons - the Beckham "brand" - saying they simply love each other.

The A-list celebrity, who helped Manchester United achieve an unprecedented treble of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in the 1998-99 season, said his family was a "strong unit".

"People have talked about 'Do we stay together because it's a brand?' Of course not," the 41-year-old told interviewer Kirsty Young on BBC radio's Desert Island Discs on Sunday.

"We stay together because we love each other. We stay together because we have four amazing children."

Beckham married Victoria Adams, "Posh Spice" in the globally successful Spice Girls pop group, in 1999, creating a high-profile celebrity partnership.

The footballer said the early stages of their relationship were conducted in his new BMW in the far-from-posh setting of a car park at a Harvester, a popular chain of pubs in Britain.

"We used to kiss, of course, and just spend time together," he said.

Beckham was the guest for the 75th anniversary of Desert Island Discs, a show that asks a "castaway" to pick eight recordings to keep them company on an imaginary uninhabited island.