34 THE SUNDAY POST/ March 18, 2007

“The show will include songs from the lastalbum, and familiar songs as well as somesurprises. But I have to sing Love ChangesEverything, don’t I? People expect it.”

He’s had success writing his own songs like Someone Else’s Dream and Just When,which he wrote for Cathy.

Saved his lifeThe former Ready, Steady, Go! presenter

saved his life in 2000 when an electrical faultcaused a fire which ravaged their Londonhome. “I was working late in my study andhad gone into the spare room because I didn’twant to stir Cathy. She woke up, choking onsmoke and headed down to the study wherethe fire had started, thinking I was in there.

“When she couldn’t find me she searchedthe house, and by that time the fire and smokewere making it difficult to breathe. She foundme asleep, woke me, and got me out in thenick of time. Then went back to save the dog.”

The couple never returned to the house.After the tour Michael is looking forward

to briefly spending time at home, then it’sstraight back to the West End and the leadrole of The Poet — made famous by HowardKeel — in the new English National Operaproduction of Kismet.

But he’s happiest in his latest role as step-grandad to Connor (7) and Grace (5),children of Emma, Cathy’s daughter to actorHywel Bennett.

“They think I’m the coolest bloke alive,”says Michael. “I spoil them rotten and Emmaprobably despairs as I give them whateverthey want. I love it.”

With one final crunch of a humbug he’sgone and I can tick one childhood dream off the list. Two decades may have passedsince love changed everything for Michael — but he’s still on the ball.

“It was great fun,” says Michael, whoadmits he likes nothing more than curlingup with a bottle of wine, watching The X Factor.

Criticism“But I said before it started I’d

only give constructive criticism and wouldn’t be nice and gushing,telling the celebrities they weremarvellous when they wereawful.”

Michael’s appeared inCoronation Street and playedcomposer Henry Purcell inEngland, My England, and he’dlove to do more TV acting. Buthe admits, “I’m not the obviouschoice when casting and perhaps

considered more of a risk whenthere are plenty actors out theremy age with more experience.”

A trip to New York for a newseries of Ball Over Broadway for

Radio 2 came fresh on the heels of Soapstar Superstar and now the

44-year-old is about to go on the roadagain for his tenth sell-out UK tour.“Life is hectic, but I’m looking

forward to seeing everyone again.” His fans — the Ball-ettes — have

grown up with Michael and are renownedfor their loyalty. He says, “It’s lovelylooking out and seeing familiar faces. I like performing at the Armadillo in

Glasgow — it’s a big venue but you can still see people and interact with them.Glaswegians know how to enjoy themselves,they’re always first down the front dancing.

Million-selling singer has done it all in a whirlwind 18 years

By Sarah JohnsonMICHAEL BALL is sucking on a humbug. “I’ve just

given up smoking again,” he says.He’s determined to succeed after

30 years of trying, but with a sell-outUK tour on the horizon he couldn’thave chosen a worse time.

He says, “Smoking’s not good for myvoice, I’m starting to wheeze, and moreimportantly I don’t want it to kill me. I’m hoping it’s not too late.

“I’ve tried to stop twice before, and oncelasted nine months, but I’m going to betougher this time and keep reminding myself,‘I’m a non-smoker’, like those self-help bookstell you.

“I used to chain-smoke through interviews

so I’ve replaced them with humbugs . . . but it’s just not the same, is it?”

Michael laughs, “Unfortunately, now I can’tstop eating and that means putting on weight.”

When I saw Michael on Top Of The Popsin 1989, singing his classic Love ChangesEverything, I vowed I’d be his leading lady (I was nine).

For him at least, love really did changeeverything. The 27-year-old unknown actor became a star of the West End and Broadway, a multi-platinum-sellingrecording artist, radio and TV presenter and a top concert artist.

Other girls’ walls bore posters of Take That but he adorned mine. I never missed a concert and his albums took pride of place in my collection.

DreamNow, 18 years since I first watched

him perform his signature song from Aspects Of Love, I found myself interviewing my childhood dream. Of course, I didn’t tell him that.

Michael emerged from the Guildford School of Acting in 1984 just as the musical stage started a renaissance, so he admits being lucky in his timing. His big break was as Marius, the youngrevolutionary in the original Les Miserables, followed by leads in Phantom Of The Opera and Aspects Of Love.

Then there was Eurovision 1992. One Step Out of Time reached more than

600 million people, came second to Ireland in the contest and soared to No. 1 in the UK charts.

But Michael admits, “We had the wrongsong. If we’d gone with a ballad, I think we’dhave won. But it was better than that rapentry last year.” He laughs, “I mean, youngwomen dressed as schoolgirls, and a rapper— is that how we want to be viewed byEurope? I enjoyed Eurovision, but would Ido it again? I’d rather stick pins in my eyes!”

Michael lives in London with his partner,’60s music presenter Cathy McGowan. In1995 he released a cover of Bette Midler’sThe Rose in memory of Cathy’s sister-in-lawAngela, who died of ovarian cancer. Herdeath led Michael to become patron ofResearch into Ovarian Cancer.

Tragic death He says, “We wanted to raise £1 million

a year to fund a research unit. Our workended last year when the Medical ResearchCouncil awarded us a £22 million grant. The family can move forward afterachieving something so positive out of a tragic death.

lonely and vulnerable. But the show closed, so I couldcome home without the guilt of dropping out.”

Michael released his latest album One Voice in October and stood in for Johnny Walker on Radio 2 in November. He’s had regular stints presenting ThisMorning with Gloria Hunniford. So it seems there’snothing the man who’s never had a day’s vocal trainingcan’t turn his hand to — including being a judge on the

last series of ITV’s Soapstar Superstar.

“I got very run down. To be ill and awayfrom the ones you love is hard. People thinkactors just want to be adored and, althoughwe’re absolutely blessed, there’s a high price.There are times you just want to be at home.

“And I hate the phone, I’d rather see peoplein person. I can’t bear e-mails, they’re usefulbut have no emotion. I ended up feeling

Love really did changeeverything for Michael

“Now Westlife have covered TheRose. I swear Louis Walsh takes myalbums and gets Westlife and RonanKeating to cover my songs and makethem their own.”

In 1999 the Theatregoers Club votedMichael most popular musical actor ofthe last 21 years. The role of CaractacusPotts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in2002 confirmed his position.

But his trip to Broadway in 2005 was not his finest moment.

“I think The Woman In White wascursed,” he says. “Several castmembers took ill, including leadinglady Maria Friedman, diagnosed withbreast cancer. It was a miserable time. Imissed home dreadfully then got a viralinfection. I think the fat suit I had towear to play Count Frosco affected me.

“I was cooking myself in that suitevery night — sometimes twice a day.

■ Michael and Cathyattending a film

premiere.