Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan’s man-hopping and partying to excess in 2006 and 2007 were her way of hiding from her true sexuality, a source has claimed.

The source, a friend of socialite Courtenay Semel, told the News of the World: “[Courtenay] met Lindsay in the summer of 2006 at a party in Malibu.

“From the start Lindsay was very confused about her feelings for Courtenay so did more and more drugs to stifle the sexual attraction she was experiencing.

“But eventually she just gave in and at every party they’d kiss and touch each other in the corner. It’s a miracle nobody found out.

“Both of them would do lines of cocaine in the toilets then head home and fall into bed together.”

The source insists the women continued an on-off affair for much of 2007, amid Lindsay’s three stays in rehab and her early days of her friendship with Samantha Ronson: “[At the start] Samantha and Lindsay didn’t have a physical relationship. She once said, ‘Samantha’s the father I never had’.

“Apparently Samantha acted in a ‘paternal’ way towards her, giving her advice and cuddles.

“By [the summer,] Lindsay was sending ‘I love you’ notes to Samantha and signing them ‘Lindsay Ronson’ but telling Courtenay she loved her too.”

After Lindsay left her third stint in rehab in the autumn, she moved in with Courtenay as a “sober buddy” but the source added that while Lindsay was getting her partying under control, she was still struggling with her sexuality: “she was terrified her career would be over if she revealed her sexual tendencies.

“Lindsay brought men back [to their house]/ Courtenay would throw fits of rage, writing her hundreds of angry e-mails from another room in the house.

“[But] the sexual attraction between them was electric though and they’d still kiss and make up.”

Eventually though, the source claims the situation became too much for Courtenay and she moved out - only to see Lindsay go more public with her relationship with Sam: “Courtenay still can’t understand how Lindsay is now so open with Samantha.

“Every time she sees a picture of them together it kills her.”