WILL YOUNG ON...

…the new Strictly Ballroom musical

It’s about two people who want to dance their own steps – they don’t want to be oppressed. It’s about authenticity. The story is so current, and those are the shows that last – they speak to something that continues through the decades.

…Wally, the character of the MC, created especially for Will

He’s very cheeky. My ears pricked up because of the [classic 1992 Baz Luhrmann] film, and then I read the script. It’s so good and funny, but also realistic. The chance to create a character – I’ve never done that before.

…why he loves playing MCs (he was a big hit as the Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret)

You can manipulate audiences, jump between worlds, break the fourth wall. That is gold, I can’t get enough of it.

…future career plans

I’m stopping pop for the foreseeable future, and I want to become a therapist. I’ve always been taught to do what feels authentic, so if in 12 years I want to become a mechanic, I’ll become a mechanic!

l Strictly Ballroom The Musical opens at London’s Piccadilly Theatre on 29 March, tickets from £15