Olly Murs couldn’t believe his luck when he found out Shania Twain had joined the judging panel of ‘Starstruck’.
The Troublemaker singer hosts the ITV show, which sees contestants mimic their favourite singers in a ‘Stars In Their Eyes’-style format.
For its second series, the country pop superstar is taking a seat on the line-up in place of actress Sheridan Smith – a move that stunned the presenter.
“There was definitely a part of me that got starstruck over meeting Shania,” he tells Retro Pop’s January 2023 issue. “She was one of the first women I had a proper crush on when I was 18 and 19 and she came out with Man! I Feel Like a Woman!, That Don’t Impress Me Much and all those great tracks.
“It was a bit weird meeting her at first but once I got over that I was professional and we got on brilliantly. I’ve been lucky to have met so many amazing stars over the years and she’s like all of them – really down-to-earth, crazy and mad at the same time, and I love that about her.”
Ahead of his return to the show, Olly released his chart-topping seventh album ‘Marry Me’; a collaboration with writer-producer David Stewart and his songwriter partner Jessica Agombar, who also worked on Shania’s recent hit Waking Up Dreaming.
“There was no plan, absolutely none,” he reveals of the process. “Well, actually the plan was just to see what happened and write great songs. We took our time; every three or four months we were writing songs together. The end result was amazing.”
The resulting record is the musician’s strongest to date and he credits the upbeat sound to his relationship with fiancée Amelia Tank, who he’s set to wed in 2023.
“In the past there was always a piece missing, whether it was a partner or something work-related or something else. I’m at a moment in my life where it feels like the majority of the pieces are there. I’m in a really good place,” he smiles.
“I love my partner, I love my dog, I love my life and how simple it is at times – how quiet and chilled it is – but I also love how mad it is as well. I’m enjoying everything more than I used to. In the past, a lot of the time I couldn’t wait to finish work and get home or go out and party. Now I’m loving my work, I’m loving my home life, I’m loving everything. I’m really lucky.”
‘Marry Me’ is available now. The ‘Marry Me Tour’ kicks off at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on April 21.
Read the full interview in the January 2023 edition of Retro Pop, out now. Order yours or subscribe via our Online Store, use our Store Finder to locate your nearest stockist, or get Digital Copies delivered direct to your devices.
