Dennis Rodman hopes to 'straighten things out' with Kim Jong-un before nuclear war starts

Former NBA superstar Dennis Rodman has spoken about how he enjoys skiing and riding horses with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and hopes to "straighten things out" with the North Korean leader in the wake of the ongoing nuclear missile crisis.

Rodman, who has made several trips to the secretive state since 2013, said the good thing about his friendship with Kim is that the pair "hardly ever talk politics" during an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain.

The ex-Chicago Bulls star was speaking while North Korea continues to perform nuclear missile tests, prompting outrage and concern worldwide for its "reckless and dangerous behaviour".

Rodman said: "For me to go over there and see [Kim] as much as I have, I basically hang out with him all the time. We laugh, we sing karaoke, we do a lot of cool things together. We ride horses, we hang out, we go skiing, we hardly ever talk politics and that's the good thing."

Rodman said it was a mutual love of basketball which saw the pair form an unlikely relationship. He added: "I think that's the key for anything in the world - basketball and music. I think that's a great connection for anyone in the world, it so happens it has to be me. He obviously likes the Chicago Bulls, he asked me to come over and I said yes."

Rodman last visited Pyongyang in June, the basketballer's first visit since Donald Trump became president. Rodman said he was "just trying to open a door" on a mission that he thought Trump would support.

When asked by GMB presenters what he thought of the presidant, Rodman expressed admiration for Trump but said he could be "a little bit crazy sometimes".

He added he believes there is a "great possibility" the US and North Korea could come to some sort of agreement should Trump and Kim sit down and talk.

He said: "They don't have to be like a friendship conversation, just a mutual conversation. Saying hi I would love to engage in some words and politics and over the history of your country and my country and just try to start some dialogue. I think that'll open up maybe the door just a little bit."

"I'm not defending [Kim], I'm not defending the country, I just think the fact that I go over there, I see people and I talk to them, for me to see them gives me a hope for a different view about the country because I see it."

He concluded: "I don't love him. I just want to try to straighten things out for everyone to get along together, that's it."