COMING from a working-class family of builders and shipbuilders, a career in music and stage was not the obvious choice for a young Mark McLachlan.

But following an impressive career that spans three decades, Marti Pellow is a household name and testament to the fact that dreams can come true.

The Wet Wet Wet pop star is now gearing up to come to The Mayflower in Southampton on Monday to appear in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita and explained how his life has been a tale of stark contrasts.

Growing up in Clydebank in Scotland, Marti’s family worked in the shipyards, building the QE2 and Queen Mary.

“When you say I want to do movies or be a singer or become involved in the arts, they become concerned,” he laughs.

But he never gave up and Marti, who joins the cast of Evita after a tour to launch his new solo album Hope, hasn’t looked back.

During his career with Wet Wet Wet, Marti enjoyed unrivalled chart success, with more than 25 hits and three of the UK’s biggest number one singles, including the seminal Love Is All Around.

His career has seen him perform all over the world, and his West End and musical theatre appearances include The Witches Of Eastwick, Chess, Jekyll & Hyde, Chicago and Blood Brothers.

But his life hasn’t been without its setbacks. He spent years battling a heroin addiction that nearly killed him and now said he lives for the pleasure of having an audience in front of him.

“As long as I keep it simple so that everything else that comes of it is a bonus. I’ve never been one to have a masterplan.

“My dreams, my aspirations, I’ve been lucky just to have people to make them happen.

“If you believe in your dreams, as corny as it sounds, it can become a reality.

“And woe betide anybody that tells you different.”

With more than 20 major awards to its name, including the Oscar-winning film version starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas, Evita tells the story of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron.

It follows Eva’s journey from humble beginnings through to extraordinary wealth, power and iconic status which ultimately led her to be heralded as the ‘spiritual leader of the nation’ by the Argentine people.

The show features some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre, including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, On This Night Of A Thousand Stars and You Must Love Me.

Undertaking one of musical theatre’s most coveted roles, when he plays Che Guevara, the 48-year-old is appearing alongside Madalena Alberto, who plays Eva, and Mark Heenehan, who plays Peron.

Talking about his unusual role as Che who acts as something of a moral arbiter in the show, narrating and overseeing the events in Eva’s life and projecting them to the audience, he says: “It’s fantastic, I love it.

“I get to engage in the audience a lot, which I think gives it and him an honesty, and that’s something that excites me.”