Peter Frampton has revealed that Pete Townshend once asked him to join The Who as his replacement.

The ‘Baby, I Love You Way’ singer claimed that, during a creative and financial low point in his career, Townshend contacted him to say that he was leaving The Who – and to offer Frampton his place in the legendary rock band.

Speaking to The Guardian on Friday (October 16), Frampton described the offer as “the most bizarre thing I ever heard,” adding: “Three men couldn’t fill his shoes!”

Frampton declined the offer initially, but says he called back a few days later due to his financial struggles – only to discover that Townshend appeared to have no recollection of the conversation.

The 70-year-old singer also spoke about firing his manager Dee Anthony, who died in 2009, with Frampton claiming that he was shielded from financial issues.

“I was kept away from those things,” he said. “I was kept high. If I needed weed, he made sure I had weed. If I needed cocaine, he made sure I had cocaine. He didn’t want me thinking about what was going on.

“It was criminal. I could have put him in jail.”

Earlier this year (July 1), Frampton launched a coronavirus-themed t-shirt on his merch store which plays on the title of his classic 1976 live double-album ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’.

The t-shirt displays a doctored version of the live album’s original artwork – now showing the guitarist wearing a blue face mask – and bears the words “Frampton Stays Inside!”.