Will Young

Will Young first found fame as the inaugural winner of Pop Idol, before the show evolved into The X Factor. Since then Will has sold over 8 million records, with hit singles such as Leave Right Now and albums including Friday’s Child and From Now On. He has also become a well-known commentator and campaigner on a range of subjects, as well as a presenter and actor.

Perhaps fittingly for one of the first of a new generation of talent show winners, Will’s career has been one of the more enduring. His debut single, Evergreen, went on to become one of the best-selling UK singles of all time. It was the first of ten number one singles, and all of his albums have reached number one or two in the charts. For well over a decade he has maintained his popularity, growing with his audience and producing a more mature sound and repertoire.

Alongside his singing career, Will has established himself as a thoughtful, eloquent and down-to-earth commentator, particularly on areas around young people, mental health and wellbeing, and LGBT issues. He covers these and other subjects in his acclaimed Homo Sapiens podcast (billed as an LGBTQ+ version of Woman’s Hour). He has taken on acting roles on television, film and stage, from Sky’s supernatural drama Bedlam to a West End production of Cabaret (for which Will was nominated for an Olivier award). He’s competed in Strictly Come Dancing, hosted Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and has also appeared on Question Time.

For live musical performances, Will appears with line-ups from piano and guitar accompaniment to a full big band.