Kirstie Alley says she had an emotional affair with Patrick Swayze

Kirstie Alley revealed she had a secret emotional affair with Patrick Swayze - while they were both married.

The 61-year-old actress opened up about her secret relationship with the late Dirty Dancing star in an interview on Entertainment Tonight.

Alley says the romance blossomed while she and Swayze were filming their 1985 flick North and South.

Kirsite Alley with her ex-husband Parker Stevenson in 1990. Source: Getty

At the time, she was married to her second husband, Parker Stevenson, and he was with his wife Lisa Niemi.

The former Cheers actress says she and Swayze did not ever connect physically, and tried stop themselves from 'going down that road'.

Kirstie Alley and Patrick Swayze with the cast of the 1985 film North and South. Source: Getty

However, she added:

"But again, I think what we did was worse. Because I think when you fall in love with someone when you're married, you jeopardise your own marriage and their marriage. It's doubly bad."

Alley says she remains friends with Swayze's widow, and was even asked to speak at the actor's funeral in 2009.