Michael Ball brings 25th anniversary tour to Echo Arena Liverpool

Sep 17 2009 Flintshire Chronicle

Michael Ball is relieved to be rid of his high heels and fake boobs.

Not that he didn’t enjoy his recent award-winning stint as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray, but the larger-than-life costume took its toll.

“It is a relief to get out of the fat suit, especially during the hot weather,” he says. “I’ve taken to high heels, I’ve got to be honest! But heavy boobs are the worst, they murder your back.”

Although the 47-year-old star is the first to admit he has also piled on a few extra pounds over recent years – one of the reasons was giving up cigarettes two-and-a-half years ago – but says he’s getting back in shape for a forthcoming tour and has already lost a stone-and-a-half.

“Since I’ve stopped smoking I’ve found I don’t get so many vocal problems and chest infections,” he says candidly.

“I suppose it was a bit of bravado saying ‘look I smoke and I can still produce this sound’.”

It’s a sound that has won him a dedicated legion of fans who follow him wherever he performs.

The star celebrates his 25th year in showbusiness this year and is marking the occasion with a nationwide tour coming to Liverpool next month.

It’s a career that has taken him all over the world, seen him at number two in the charts with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Changes Everything, compete for the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest (he came second) and win a coveted Olivier Award for his Hairspray performance.

“It feels like I’m just starting out and yet I look back at things that I’ve done,” Michael muses.

“I’ve kept working and that’s what I’m celebrating, that I’m still doing it.

“It’s great that I was able to leave Hairspray on a high, still loving it.

“I’ll always have great memories. It never went sour, it’s perfect.”

Michael is promising a great show for fans when he comes to the Echo Arena Liverpool next Thursday.

“I feel I know how to give an audience a good evening’s entertainment.

“I take them on a journey. It’s not just me standing up on stage singing.

“Normally I’m there with a 12-piece band and three backing singers. “This time I want to have string section and I’m bringing special guests from the theatre.

“It’s the first time I’ll have done the whole evening too, rather than having a support act, and I can choreograph the whole event.”

Despite being one of the UK’s biggest musical stars, Michael has never had any vocal training.

“I was always surrounded by music. My mother plays the piano and my younger sister is a good singer,” he reveals.

“I always enjoyed singing but I didn’t think of myself as any good until other people gave me feedback.

“It wasn’t really until I got to drama school.

“I did a straight acting course, I never had any singing lessons and it wasn’t until I auditioned for my first job on Godspell and they hired me, I thought ‘I can do this’.

“You never know what will happen. If I hadn’t gone for an open audition for Pirates Of Penzance I wouldn’t have been seen by Cameron Mackintosh (who cast him in Les Miserables) and life would have been completely different.

“You get to a crossroads and decide to go left or right. It’s chance meetings, accidents that happen.”

Michael Ball brings his 25th anniversary tour to the Echo Arena Liverpool on Thursday, September 24. Ring 0844 8000 400 or visit www.accliverpool.com.