MICHAEL BALL – Britain’s leading musical theatre star, a double Olivier Award-winner, multi-platinum recording artist and popular radio and TV presenter kicks off his latest concert tour here on the South coast next week.

He opens his If Everyone Was Listening tour at the Bournemouth International Centre on Tuesday.

Then he stars in a brand new production of Mack and Mabel at Chichester Festival Theatre, July 13- September 5, before it goes on a UK tour.

Despite the hectic schedule he still found time to talk to the Daily Echo!

Michael has remained at the top of the tree for 25 years.

He made his West End debut as Marius in the original London cast of Les Misérables and since then, has starred in West End productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and on Broadway, in the London production of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion, followed by Count Fosco in The Woman in White, which transferred from London’s West End.

In 2008 Michael made box office history at the Shaftesbury Theatre with his Olivier Award-winning performance as Edna Turnblad in the smash hit musical Hairspray which he then took on tour across the UK throughout 2010.

In 2013 Michael won Best Actor in a Musical from Whatsonstage.com and his second Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his critically acclaimed lead role in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Chichester and Adelphi/West End).

Now busily preparing for the concert tour and Mack and Mabel Michael told me: “It’s tiring but I get such a buzz of excitement putting a concert together.”

The concert will feature tracks from If Everyone Was Listening, “a mix of individual classics, award winners and contemporary songs spanning the years 1960 to 2013”, but Michael added: “It will include I Won’t Send Roses (from Mack and Mabel) and it’s important to include the hits too.

"If I go to see someone in concert I’m going for a reason, because I’ve enjoyed certain songs, and if they don’t do them I feel a little bit cheated.

"It’s important to know a certain amount of what will happen but be surprised too. It’s good to slip in something they don’t expect. Then the end of the show is like a party.”

Asked what was his favourite stage role? He doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“Edna! I just love her to bits and I would do her again in a heart-beat! I haven’t ruled out going back to her.

“But the most challenging and rewarding role was Sweeny Todd which was an extraordinary journey, but for sheer joy I’d say Edna.

“Sweeny Todd was hard: it was dark and physically very demanding. I would come off that stage absolutely drained. It was a mountain to climb every night.”

Had he a dream role he’d like to play?

“Mack – yes, it’s Mack! I’ve always wanted to do Mack and Mabel: it’s Jerry Herman’s greatest score, and one of the most challenging scores. It’s funny, romantic, plus it has a dark side to it that can be challenging. People have heard of it but not many have seen it so I hope it will do well.”

Is it hard finding good leading roles?

“You are always looking for new roles. It’s important to encourage people to write new stuff, and I do- even if I’m not involved. “ So had he any particular ambitions left?

“Ambitions change. I learnt early on that you can never pre-empt what will happen. I enjoyed doing the TV film That Day We Sang – it’s given me a taste for filming and I’m making in-roads into that!

And I also love doing the radio.”

Had he any advice to anyone wishing to follow in his footsteps?

“Get as much experience as you can- even if it is just going to the theatre and seeing how it’s done.

"Do am dram; keep your CV up to date and develop a good work ethic. Be on time and be prepared to go the extra mile.”

Was he a fan of talent search shows like The X Factor?

“I watch them. I could do with a new formula for X Factor – they are all a bit samey. My only worry is for people who have everything – all that fame and success and then are dropped and have no support. That’s sad. It’s a cruel business: it’s gladiatorial. I love it when genuine new talent is found but I don’t like freak shows where we look at people and laugh at them.”

So would Michael consider doing any of the reality shows himself?

“No! Not at the moment. My time may come.

"Celebrity Big Brother was the best thing on TV: I was obsessed with it! It made me so tense watching it; it was real car-crash TV. It was amazing this creature parade but with CBB they know what they are getting in to: that’s the risk.”

Michael is not a fan of soaps but loves sci-fi!

“I don’t watch the soaps. I love Waking the Dead and American High School: I’m a sci-fi freak!

"And I love trash TV. Super heroes are right up my street.”

So how does Michael sustain such a busy career?

“It’s hard. You feed off other people’s energy and the audience. You pace yourself. You get tired. As a performer you learn how to pace yourself.

"This year will be a tough year. I’m off to New York tomorrow to hold auditions for Mack and Mabel. I’m heavily involved with the show, much the same as I was with Sweeney.

"I wanted to do this. I approached Chichester Festival Theatre about it. It’s one of the finest places. It’s had a big refurbishment and it’s a beautiful theatre with a clever, receptive audience: it’s a good place to make your mistakes!”