Rod Stewart pleaded with his wife, Penny Lancaster, to remove stories of his womanizing and heavy drinking from her new memoir, fearing they would tarnish his legacy, insiders tell RadarOnline.com .

The 80-year-old singer, long celebrated as both a chart-topper and a notorious ladies' man, was anxious about how Lancaster, 54, would portray their early years together in her forthcoming autobiography. Article continues below advertisement

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The book, which details Lancaster's childhood traumas and life in the public eye, is due to be published on September 25.

Sources claim Stewart lobbied hard behind the scenes

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