You don’t expect a broad accent from someone who can sing arias like Pavarotti, but then Russell Watson isn’t your average tenor.

He started his working life as a bolt cutter on the government’s now defunct Youth Opportunities Programme, after leaving school with no qualifications. However, his big break came after entering a local radio talent competition, performing in a working men’s club.

Russell's debut album The Voice was released in 2001 and stayed at the No.1 spot in the classical charts for a record 52 weeks.

Last year, his UK tour was a sell-out. This year’s Songs from the Heart Tour features some of the nation’s favourite love songs.

We caught up with the the 49-year-old ahead of three live shows in the county.

I 'appeared' as they say on the scene in 2000...

In some respects I knew very little about what I was doing – I know a lot about it now. I just loved singing and I had been doing it for a long time. I learnt most of what I know after I became well known.

The whole reality and talent show thing on television now has a downside...

When you are given something very quickly on a plate it can often disappear as quickly as it came. We seem to be constantly geared up for finding the “next big thing”. It’s a big culture among young people in Great Britain. I have done some judging, and I quite enjoyed it, on the BBC’s Last Choir Standing. Of course when you get children’s choirs you cannot be too harsh with them.

Last year I did over 90 concerts with my tour...

There was a lot of travelling. But it was all great. I enjoy the touring. I know it’s not for everyone, but I enjoy it.

As a singer you are under a lot of pressure to keep performing...

You have to live up to the expectations of the audience, so of course your voice takes a lot
of strain. With the big classical arias like Nessun Dorma for instance – there is no hiding from that. You are either in or you’re not. But if there is a problem with your voice, there’s a whole different routine that I have. For a sore throat it’s basically lots of steam and paracetamol. Nothing else really makes a difference. You need hydration.

You need to keep reinventing and improving to keep the audiences coming back...

I have been performing for 15 years, so you have to keep changing things. I was offered the role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables 18 months ago but it was just too long, to do it for six months. I would be concerned that if I was doing eight shows a week I might feel like I was stagnating. I feel like I have to keep moving forward. I like to change things around. I don’t ever do the same show twice. I love spontaneity.

People get fed up when they keep seeing your face on the box...

But then when they don’t see you on there they’re like “I haven’t seen you on the telly for a while.” We are going to be making a documentary of the last 25 years of my life, so I will be in that!

We’re going to record in the Vatican, and we’ve got a great line-up, it’s a classical crossover...

We’ve got Chris Deamer from Portishead and Nigel Harrison from Blondie among the musicians. It’s going to be amazing.

GIG DETAILS

Russell Watson will be at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells on Friday, May 13 at 7.30pm. Tickets from £45, visit assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk or call 01892 530613.

He will also be at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury on Saturday, June 18. This show is sold out.

Finally, Russell will be at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Thursday, July 14. For tickets visit atgtickets.com