Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones

eMichael Douglas has admitted he took his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones "for granted".

The 69-year-old actor temporarily split from the 44-year-old actress last August, but he insists he's now learnt from his past "mistakes" and has re-evaluated his relationship.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: "When you are younger you care what other people think. And you take the person closest to you for granted. You waste a lot of energy on strangers to make a good impression. When you're older you focus that energy on the people closest to you, on your family. And you're courteous."

The 'Behind the Candelabra' star - who has son, Dylan, 13, and daughter, Carys, 11, with Catherine, as well as grown-up son Cameron from his marriage to Diandra Douglas - even revealed his sex life has improved since his reconciliation with the brunette beauty a few months ago.

Asked if he is in the prime of his life, he replied: "Sexually? I am more comfortable in my own skin now."

Meanwhile, the couple had a difficult few years in the lead up to their split as Catherine admitted that she suffers from bipolar disorder - which led to her spending time in rehab for depression - and Michael battled tongue cancer.