Asia Argento told 'possessive' Anthony Bourdain to stop 'busting her balls' in final text before he killed himself: TV chef was sleeping with prostitutes, hooked on STEROIDS and spent his last days 'drinking to oblivion', bombshell new book claims

Asia Argento texted Anthony Bourdain telling him to stop 'busting her balls' in her final message hours before he killed himself, an explosive new biography claims.

It was after complaining of his 'possessiveness' and breaking up with him when he complained that she'd been photographed flirting with a French journalist at a hotel where they shared special memories.

The texts are now revealed in Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, a new biography about Bourdain and the first 'unauthorized' book since his death.

Bourdain hanged himself in a French hotel room in 2018 while filming on location for his hit CNN show Parts Unknown.

The public outpouring of sympathy for the TV star was sizeable; his fans celebrated how he'd overcome addiction to launch a successful career, and hailed his unpretentious, down to earth nature.

The book challenges that picture of Bourdain as the people's hero. It claims he was hooked on steroids, drinking heavily and sleeping with prostitutes.

In one text to his ex-wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, he complained: 'I hate my fans, too. I hate being famous. I hate my job. I am lonely and living in constant uncertainty.'

The book also includes text messages, emails and the search history of Bourdain's computer, all of which reveal his pained his relationship with Argento.

She had broken up with him, citing his 'possessiveness' over her.

Bourdain had been left heartbroken by photographs of the Italian actress dancing with journalist Hugo Clement in the lobby of Hotel de Russie in Rome, where she and Bourdain shared special memories.

The book reveals that he searched her name online 'hundreds' of times afterwards.

In their final text exchange, he asked: 'Is there anything I can do?'

She replied: 'Stop busting my balls'.

He responded: 'OK' and killed himself hours later.

Bourdain's family and Asia Argento have already challenged the book, accusing Leershen of multiple inaccuracies. Simon and Schuster is standing by it.

'Every single thing he writes about relationships and interactions within our family as kids and as adults he fabricated or got totally wrong,' Christopher, Bourdain's brother, told the Times.

Argento declined to comment for the book. In an email to the journalist that she says she forbid him from publishing, she said: 'It is always Judas who writes the biography.'