In Freddie Mercury interviews, he uses "dear" and "darling" often. Is that an English phrase, or his own?

I have always loved Queen  have been reading interviews lately. I am
American so I am curious about this: I noticed he uses "my dear" and
"darling" often when speaking to the interviewer. I this a common
English phrase (like we Americans use the word "man"), or is this a
Freddie thing?