High School Musical Star Zac Efron has confessed to a secret passion - he loves U.S TV show American Idol.

The teen actor loves the talent contest so much he often hides at the back of studio shows - and watches the wannabes perform live.

He tells MTV.com, "I like American Idol because it deals with regular people who really have a dream and like to perform.

"There was a period where I was actually going to the shows of American Idol. A few years ago, I went, like, almost every week. That was the season Taylor Hicks won.

"It was great. It’s a completely different experience live. You really get to see who is a good singer, and who can really captivate a crowd. And you can tell it’s really influential on the judges’ decisions."