Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has told 60 Minutes he felt like a prisoner in his own house during his much-publicised split from Lara Worthington, but denies ever throwing that diamond ring down the toilet.

Clarke’s wife Kyly sat by his side as he detailed the extreme media scrutiny surrounding his relationship with model Worthington (nee Bingle), and how it forced him to hide in a friend’s car boot.

“That was heavy. That wasn’t my dream,” he said.

Worthington and Clarke at the Allan Border Medal in 2010. Photo: Getty

For the first time, the batsman also addressed the infamous incident that led to a plumber allegedly being called to fish a $200,000 diamond engagement out of a Bondi toilet, calling the story “bullsh*t”.

Clarke became emotional when discussing his late teammate Phil Hughes, who died when he was struck by a cricket ball in 2014.

He also admitted he didn’t think the Australian team “liked” him as their captain, but he thought they respected him.

“I’d love both, but I only care about one,” he said.

The infamous break-up

Clarke and Worthington dated for a year before becoming engaged in 2008, but in 2010, Clarke suddenly departed the Australian cricket tour for “personal reasons”.

The ensuing media circus, including the revelation that the pair had split up, was described by Clarke as suffocating.

“That was cameras 24/7. I got to a stage that I couldn’t actually stay in my own house,” he said.

“I didn’t feel comfortable.”

The cricketer said it reached a stage when he felt the need to climb into his friend’s car boot to sneak past waiting paparazzi.

But as for the ring story, Clarke was resolute.

“I’m not that silly. I’m not throwing any diamond ring down a toilet,” he said of the break-up with the 29-year-old blonde, who is now married to actor Sam Worthington.

“Complete, made-up, 100 per cent bullsh*t.”

Watch below:

On losing Phillip Hughes

Clarke described Phillip Hughes as his “little brother”, and served as a pall bearer at the 25-year-old’s funeral.

“I guess I probably tried to tell myself that he could be OK. That there was a chance,” Clarke said of the days after Hughes was struck in the head with a bouncer. 

“But I think I knew there wasn’t.”

He said he “felt fear” playing cricket for the first time after Hughes’ death. Photo: Getty

Wife Kyly said Clarke had “never been the same” after the on-field death of his friend.

‘I haven’t done anything wrong’

When asked if he wanted to apologise for his younger self, Clarke said no.

“I just did it my way,” he said.

Clarke said he hated “not knowing why people hated [him]”, but theorised it was partly to do with his diamond earring and choice to drive a Ferrari rather than a Holden ute.

He admitted to letting the negative press affect him.

The Clarkes welcomed their first child in November, 2015. Photo: Getty

“The negative stuff I would read, it was like I was reading it in bold letters … you know, ‘You’re selfish’, ‘You’re an upstart’, that was hard to deal with.”

Clarke also admitted he had not been a good vice-captain to Ricky Ponting.

“I think he felt I let him down,” he said, while claiming he had never desired the top job.

“I couldn’t care less about captaining Australia.

“It made no difference. I had my own goals.”