In February 2002 an audience of almost ten million tuned into ITV to see who would claim victory in the inaugural Pop Idol. In the age of reality television which had already begun with Channel Four’s Big Brother, this seemed the natural progression and record executive Simon Cowell seemed the perfect candidate to spearhead such a revolution. Never before had there been a show that concentrated solely on singing and the voice and for politics graduate Will Young, this was very appealing. At this time, there were very few shows that incorporated this kind of autonomous interactivity mixed with music production so it was difficult to develop any preconceived ideas about the show. However, the fact that it was predominantly about music and singing compelled Will to audition and the rest is now history.
Having a politics degree came in handy when attempting to understand and navigate through the invasive activity of the British press which still had the potential to be extremely damaging in post millennial society. A decade before Levison, tabloid journalism was ruthless and devoid of compassion to public figures and those around them. Such education had already taught Will about spin and the effects of the media on embellishing stories so he was already comfortable with how the press operated. Being in Pop Idol created its own self contained bubble which could be shut off from the outside world and irrespective of the caustic pen of the papers, Will’s background prepared him for this personal invasion.
Despite the press intrusion, Will made it all the way to the final of Pop Idol alongside bookie’s favourite: seventeen year old Gareth Gates who had won the hearts of the nation after overcoming a severe stammer. The week of the final saw both men ascend to an unprecedented level of fame, living on coaches as they toured the country. This was the era before social media and publicity was achieved via personal appearances, radio and television interviews and roadshows. Unlike others who may have been tempted by the public access talent show format, Will had the desire to use Pop Idol as a springboard to a career which would transcend his reality show roots. This may have endeared him to the public and ultimately helped to win the show.
Sure enough, on Saturday 9th February 2002, an estimated audience of ten million viewers watched Will win the show with 53% of the vote and sing what became his first Number one Evergreen. His debut album From Now On went straight in at Number One on the official album chart in October of that year and went on to become the eighteenth highest selling album of 2002. As well as the double A side Evergreen/Anything Is Possible, Will recorded his cover of The Doors’ classic Light My Fire which was his favourite cover from the show alongside another double A side Don’t Let Me Down/You And I which became the official Children In Need single of 2003, reaching Number Two in the UK Singles Chart.
Despite this success, Will had yet to find his own creative voice which would transform him from talent show winner to internationally renowned singer songwriter. Meeting producer Steve Lipson would change the trajectory of his career and allowed him to create his own style. This resulted in Will’s follow up album Friday’s Child which contains the melancholic anthem Leave Right Now. A slight move away from the concentrated pop sound which we grew accustomed to with the archetypal reality pop star, this was mature, melancholic and reflective which earned him his first Brit Award for best single for Your Game in 2005. Working alongside Lipson really did broaden Will’s career and offered scope to explore his potential as an artist.
A passion for acting and theatre has forever surrounded Will’s entire life and in 2006 he was able to combine the two when he made his acting debut as Bertie in Stephen Frears’ musical comedy drama Mrs Henderson Presents alongside Dame Judi Dench and the late Bob Hoskins. The story of The Windmill has been well documented, being the only theatre in London never to close its doors during the Second World War which is the period in which the film is set. Yet perhaps what is frequently overlooked is the theatre’s postwar influence in creating and nurturing a showbiz dynasty that would set the tone for future generations. Will had little knowledge of how vast such influence spread in helping to create an entertainment footprint which still survives today and it was only when he undertook this role that he discovered such a fascinating world which gave a platform to some of Britain’s greatest performers from Bruce Forsyth to Morecambe and Wise.
In recent years, Will has cultivated his style as a broadcaster which started when he was asked to sit in for the iconic Jo Whiley on Radio 2. With a passion for emerging music, Will thrived upon discovering new artists and offering them a platform just like Simon Cowell did with him a quarter of a century ago. Unfortunately the ever changing nature of BBC Radio has affected the personal control of some of the more specialist music shows which sadly replaced Will with a merry go round of presenters on the BBC roster. However, Will remains grateful for his successful tenure on Radio 2 and this could be something to rediscover in the many years to come.
The story of Will Young is a really interesting and remarkable tale for so many reasons. His early days on Pop Idol paved the way for the rediscovery of the talent show format and helped to return it to the bedrock of TV Light Entertainment. Yet he’s proven himself to be anything but a flash in the pan and his intelligent wit and charm has set him apart from the rest. It was a real honour to welcome the great Will Young to Beyond The Title and looking forward to seeing what awaits him in the future. Anything is possible!
Beyond The Title