The icon astonished fans by releasing the new track and details of the full-length work on his 66th birthday yesterday. Many believed he'd retired from making music. It had also been rumoured that his health was failing after he suffered a heart attack in 2004, then ended public appearances two years later.

But Visconti, who's now worked with Bowie on 13 releases, tells the BBC: "We all know he had a health scare in 2004. But David is extremely healthy. He's rosy-cheeked, he smiles a lot.