JOE is Joseph!

X Factor winner Joe McElderry hits the stage at Mayflower Theatre next week in the iconic lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Your Entertainment caught up with the singer turned musical theatre star.

What was it about the part that attracted you to it?

It’s such an iconic role, everybody knows it and the nice thing about it is, and this is just from talking to people, it’s seems to be a lot of people’s first experience of musical theatre. And out of all of the things I’ve done in the last few years, there’s a real buzz around this. I’ve never had so many people come up to me and tell me how excited they are that I’m going to be Joseph, so that’s really nice.

Have you seen any previous productions?

I saw it a couple of years back with H from Steps and he was great. The good thing about it is that it’s all songs and I’m used to learning songs very quickly so I’m not too panicked. Even the colours - I’ve done it! And I did it on national television this morning, live on air! And I got it right!

Philip Schofield, Jason Donovan, Donny Osmond have all starred as Joseph, you’ve got some big shoes to fill!

I am feeling the pressure a little bit because it’s such a famous role, that’s the thing about it. And people have a big attachment to the show, people who have seen it many times before, they have certain expectations. So I am a little anxious, but I always get like this before I do a show, whether this or this X Factor or even my own tour, but then once I get into rehearsals I’m fine.

Winning the X Factor in 2009, it’s what most people will know you from – is it a badge you still wear proudly?

The thing with the show is, and I know it’s had a bit of a decline recently and people have been slating it in recent years, but without the profile it gave me, a lot of the things that I have done, including Joseph, probably wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for the X Factor. The X Factor led to one thing, which led to another, which led to another, so I’m glad I was able to be a part of such a big show. Because I think it is an iconic show and it’ll probably go down in British TV history as one of the biggest watched shows in the country. So I’m proud to say that I did and I was a part of it and I won it!

You’re also the third X Factor contestant to star in Joseph after Lloyd Daniels and Amelia Lily were on the tour last year – do you think TV talent shows are a great platform for singers to branch out into other musical fields?

The thing is for me, I’ve done this for six years now, I’ve made four albums, had my own tours, and the nice thing I feel I’ve been able to do with my career, especially in the last two or three years, is to have a bit of diversity, which challenges me as well, something different to what people expect me to do. And that way, I don’t get bored, and I don’t think the audiences that come and see my shows do either, because I always try and do different things. And sometimes I do things that people wouldn’t think I would do, which is a nice thing.

Do you think being cast as Joseph has taken people by surprise then?

I thought people would have been quite shocked but everyone has been telling me how perfect I am for the role, and that they’ve been telling me for years to do this (laughs). But that might just be because I’m called Joseph (laughs).

Are you still in touch with anyone from the X Factor?

Oh yeah. I mean, we’re not on the phone to each other every day but we see each other every now and then. And in this industry you bump into people all the time at events and parties. And I do hear from Cheryl, we have kept in touch, and while we don’t speak on the phone all the time, it’s nice that we’ve managed to keep the relationship. We’re from the same neck of the woods after all, opposite sides of the river, but same part of the world.

So you won that, then Popstar to Operastar, and then The Jump – we all know about your X Factor journey but how did you get involved with the last two?

The Jump was a last minute thing really, I actually stepped in for someone and I was on holiday at the time in a nearby place, so that all happened by surprise. And I am a skier, I’ve skied for years, but half the things they make you do on there, well, it’s not all about skiing. Half the things we did I’ve never done before, like speed skating and tobogganing. And then Popstar to Operastar was really nice because I got to learn a different genre of music. I actually though I’d be so bad at it that people would think it a bit of a joke, so I saw it as a fun project. And then it just went to another level! Everyone was asking me to sing Nessun Dorma at my concerts! And then I signed a classical deal with Decca and it spiralled from there, it was completely unexpected.

Is there anywhere on this tour you’ve not visited and are looking forward to seeing?

I’ve never been to Southampton before and I’ve heard that’s a brilliant venue.

Joseph runs from Tuesday to Saturday.

Box office: 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk