And the Hey there and welcome to another edition of Soda Jaker on songwriting, this is Simon here with Brian and joining

us for episode 272 is an Ivor Novello and Brit Award winning English singer, songwriter

and actor who shot to fame after winning the first series of the British talent show

Pop Idol. Over the last two decades or so he scored eight top ten albums, four of them number ones,

sold over 10 million records and has worked with the likes of

Kathy Dennis, Nitt and Sawney, Groov Armada, Bear Bacharach, James Brown and Elton John.

Now back with his original label, BMG, he's just dropped his ninth studio effort, The suitably sparkling,

Light it Up. We are chuffed to welcome the splendid Will Young to the show.

Well was born in Wokingham, Berkshire in 1979 and raised in Hungerford. He sang in his school choir,

started learning piano, age nine, and went on to appear in several secondary school productions.

But in spite of this Yen for the stage, he elected to study politics at the University of Exeter

though he continued throughout to pursue his interest in performing.

By the time he graduated from uni in 2001, Will knew he wanted to be a singer and enrolled on the musical theatre course at the Art Educational School in Chisic London.

However, he suspended his studies that autumn to audition for a forthcoming ITV talent show.

He ultimately made it through to the pop idle final in early 2002

where he proved the surprise winner, triumphing over Gareth Gates and securing a million pound recording

contract with BMG. I actually voted for Will in that

final twice. Right? Yeah true story. I hope you got the bill payers

permission. Of course I did Simon. What do you take me for? But yeah, he owes it all to me anyway.

Will's first single, the double A side of Evergreen and

Anything is Possible, top the charts and became the fastest selling debut in UK Chart History, the latter winning the 2002 Iver for best-selling song.

That autumn, debut album from now on also shot to number one, as did the follow-up, 2003's Friday's Child, which went five times platinum and boasted

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