Talking Shop: Will Young

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Will Young says he now feels like a 'proper' actor with roles in Miss Marple and Skins

Will Young is releasing a greatest hits album seven years after the Pop Idol win which launched his pop career.

It features classic tracks such as Leave Right Now and Light My Fire, plus two new tracks, including his latest single, Hopes and Fears.

The singer discusses his new record, two new acting roles, the X Factor - and Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time.

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The video for Hopes And Fears is interesting - it features you as a pregnant man! What inspired you to do this?

Director Chris Sweeney had the idea. It's always nice to do something different and challenging. I can't really do those normal videos. I like to give the audience a bit more credit. I really like the idea of a man doing pregnancy, I think it's really interesting. I spoke to a great friend of mine who'd just had a daughter, I'm the god dad. Now I find I have a lot more empathy with the hormones. It's all the emotions everyone feels in one intense nine months.

Will Young is a fan of X Factor contestant Joe McEldry

Why are you doing a greatest hits now?

I'm lucky there have been enough singles, it's so interesting looking back on them, they're such great songs. It's a bit weird to have a hits album but it's just the way now. What's interesting is to look back on the last eight years and look at all those songs, the progression of the music.

Evergreen is still the biggest-selling single of the decade which is crazy and I kind of forgot about it. Lots of people remember Pop Idol and that song, it's such a moment. Leave Right Now was another big moment for me where the music was becoming more mature and I was taking more control. Changes was also a big one for me because it was the first time I played Glastonbury.

So it's a bit like looking back at an old photograph album?

Exactly. I feel very lucky to be here and to have my career and also I look back on the stuff that I've done and I've been allowed to do such different things than what you would expect from a winner of a show like Pop Idol.

Did you have to fight to do things your way?

I did fight for it but to be honest, they pushed it as well. The credit should definitely go to my record company and Simon Fuller as much as it should go to me. I'm still with the same people. I was just very lucky to work with very interesting arty people when I was a very naïve and innocent politics student.

Are you still pursuing an acting career as well?

I've just done a Miss Marple and an episode of Skins. I've changed agents, it's wonderful. I love the acting, my confidence has gone right back up again with the acting with these two roles. Slowly it's showing people I am serious about it and I can do it. My new agent is wonderful. With the film (Mrs Henderson Presents), the play (Noel Coward's The Vortex) and these two jobs, I now feel like a proper actor. I want a BBC period drama next.

Who is your favourite on the X Factor?

I think they're all great in their different ways but I've always thought Joe's a bit of a dark horse and I liked him when I saw him in Morocco. Cheryl was great, very open to listening to advice. Obviously it was her decision but we did properly talk about it. She really listens.

How did you find your appearance on Question Time earlier this year?

I'm annoyed as last Thursday (when BNP leader Nick Griffen appeared) has beaten my record! We had the most amount of viewers since we went to war. You couldn't not have that party (the BNP) represented on the show because it has representation in Europe and locally but any intelligent person could see what he stands for is archaic and ridiculous. He quoted polls he couldn't remember, he couldn't remember quotes, so he didn't come off well.

I also had a problem with the lady from the Conservative party, she was not pushed on her views on civil partnership. They were pushing Nick Griffin for his bigoted views, they should have pushed her for her bigoted views. She dodged the question. Nick Griffin was not potentially the only narrow-minded person on that panel.

In the light of the news children as young as seven will be offered careers advice, what did you want to do when you were that age?

I wanted to be a singer. I always wanted to be a singer - or a vet. It was a passion. I love singing and I love animals. I'd still do it now. Maybe I could be the new David Attenborough?

<i>Will Young was talking to BBC entertainment reporter Emma Saunders.</i>

<i>His single Hopes and Fears was released on Monday 9th November and the album The Hits follows on Monday 16th November.</i>