MY HAVEN – TONY HADLEY

The Spandau Ballet lead singer and solo artist, 56, in his Buckinghamshire cottage

1 HOME COMFORTS

I moved to this 16th-century cottage in 2011 with my wife Ali and I’ve really enjoyed doing it up to accommodate our family. Ali and I met in Mauritius 13 years ago and then got married at Cliveden in 2009, and this photograph was taken at our wedding reception. I like the sense of space in this living room – it’s light and airy, and I feel like I’m on holiday when I’m in here. They film Midsomer Murders near our village, so we joke that if ever there was a murder we’d call for DCI Barnaby.

2 STELLAR DAY

Live Aid is up there with anything I’ve ever done in my life: meeting so many heroes and being part of such a global phenomenon. Bob Geldof had met some of the band on the King’s Road and said we were crucial to the success of the charity Band Aid single, but nobody thought that would lead on to Live Aid at Wembley. Here you can see a ticket for Wembley for 13 July, 1985, an artist’s badge and a special ticket for the Royal Box. It’s a day I’ll never forget.

3 GO GUNNERS!

I’m a true London boy and this picture of the old Arsenal stadium signed by six managers reminds me of my childhood. My dad Pat was a supporter, as were my mum Jo’s family. You could just see the corner flag from my nan’s top-floor flat and I loved going to watch them play. I used to play for the Arsenal Ex-Professional And Celebrity XI and they gave this to me on my 50th birthday. I keep threatening to play for them again, but I’m better off cheering them on nowadays.

4 FAB FREDDIE

These are just a few of my Queen albums – for me, Freddie Mercury was the best front man in the world. I first saw the band as a teenager and later became great friends with them. I’m also a big Elvis fan. He had an incredible voice and was a stunning guy, but he was only 42 when he died. I can see why – when I was in Memphis I tried to eat one of his muchloved deep-fried banana and peanut butter sandwiches. I wish he’d had people around him to tell him when to stop.

5 OL’ BLUE EYES

I got this signed photograph of Frank Sinatra at a charity auction. My mum would play him and Tony Bennett while making the Sunday lunch. I wangled my way into Sinatra’s concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1977 and took my mum. The moment he came off stage I rushed forward and told him I loved the show. He asked what I did and I said I was in a school band and it was my ambition to play the Albert Hall. Six years later the Spandau boys and I were there.

6 FAMILY MAN

I’m so lucky to have five wonderful children. Tom, 32, Toni, 30, and Mac, 25, from my first marriage, haven’t followed me into music, but between them they play drums and guitar and Toni’s got a powerful voice. Ali and I also have Genevieve, four, who’s a little comedian, and Zara, nine. She made this elephant at school which I love because it reminds me of holidays in Thailand. She likes to act and sing and, as a baby, loved coming to watch when I was in Chicago in the West End.

As told to Tony Padman. Tony Hadley performs with the Southbank Sinfonia (15-17 October) at Birmingham, Southend and London. Visit tonyhadley.com

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