DAMON Albarn’s former music teacher has rubbished claims he is hiding his “privileged” background.

Singer James Blunt says he is the only singer who has not hidden his posh accent – and accused Albarn of having “an orchard full of plums in his mouth”.

But Nigel Hildreth, who taught Albarn and Blur bandmate Graham Coxon at Stanway Comprehensive School, disagreed.

Read the full story in today's Gazette.