September 10, 2024 • 42 mins
Olly Murs brings bundles of fun and energy to this episode as he reflects on his upbringing in Witham, Essex, sharing how the area significantly shaped his life. The X Factor star speaks fondly of the town he grew up in and nearby Braintree where he spent much of his teenage years.
Driving in style in a Bentley Continental GT, we start the journey with Olly at Witham Town Football Club, where he bumps into someone who played a huge part in his early life. He takes us to his childhood home, reminiscing about long days spent playing sport outdoors. He reveals why a trip to Australia became the turning point that led to his X Factor audition, and he talks openly about his experience of panic attacks. And of course, there’s some singing and lots of laughter!
You can watch Olly’s drive by heading to Auto Trader’s dedicated Show on the Road YouTube channel.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Olly Murs (00:00):
Boom. God, I haven't been here in years. (inaudible)
the story of my life. The story of my life. So many crazy things
happened. Stuff you can't talk about in the papers. Do you know what I mean? I just
lost a sense of reality. Oh, my Lord, no. Alex,
I'm scared.
Alex Legouix (00:23):
Sat in the passenger seat next to me in a
moment will be one of the biggest pop stars on
the planet. His music's been streamed over 2 billion times
on Spotify alone. He's had five UK number one albums
and four massive number one singles. And to top it
off, he's also a huge TV star. Yet despite all
(00:45):
of that, Olly Murs is a completely normal bloke, a
humble man with a wicked sense of humor from Witham
in Essex. In this episode of Show On The Road,
Olly takes us on a tour of his hometown showing
us the places where he cut his teeth in life.
Brought to you by AutoTrader, the UK's largest automotive platform,
(01:05):
this is Show On The Road. I'm Alex Legouix driving
a Bentley Continental GT into the car park of Witham
Town Football Club. And there is one of their former
players, Mr. Olly Murs.
Olly Murs (01:20):
Wow. Yes, Alex. Very nice car. I'm not sure about the color.
Alex Legouix (01:26):
What?
Olly Murs (01:28):
I'm a Manchester United fan.
Alex Legouix (01:30):
Oh, sorry.
Olly Murs (01:31):
Sky blue's not my color, but the car is. You
need to be in LA for this sort of car,
definitely not Witham.
Alex Legouix (01:37):
Sexy, huh?
Olly Murs (01:38):
Brings back memories. This one.
Alex Legouix (01:42):
How are you doing?
Olly Murs (01:43):
I'm great, thanks. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (01:44):
Good.
Olly Murs (01:44):
Welcome to Witham.
Alex Legouix (01:45):
Oh, thank you. It's nice to be here.
Olly Murs (01:48):
Welcome to my hometown. It's always nice to be back
here. And even just looking around now, the old football
club, played many, many years here. Just feels good.
Alex Legouix (01:56):
So what sort of age were you playing for Witham Town?
Olly Murs (01:59):
19, 20 till about 23.
Alex Legouix (02:02):
What position?
Olly Murs (02:03):
Wherever I could play. No, I used to play upfront.
I used to play as a center- forward, then I played wing
and here was where I suffered my ACL break on my
knee, which was sort of the beginning of the end
of my football career. And then that led me to music.
Alex Legouix (02:17):
Who's that up there?
Olly Murs (02:18):
Oh, so that is Mark Nicholls. Mark. So Mark was
my first boss. He owns the football club, so when I was
13 he got me my first paper- round job.
Alex Legouix (02:29):
What?
Olly Murs (02:30):
Yeah.
Alex Legouix (02:31):
I love that.
Olly Murs (02:32):
Sometimes two paper- rounds a morning.
Crew (02:34):
Rolling.
Olly Murs (02:34):
Now Mark's changed a lot since I first met him
all them years ago. This is Alex.
Alex Legouix (02:37):
Hi.
Mark Nicholls (02:37):
Mark, hi. How are you? All right?
Alex Legouix (02:38):
How are you doing?
Mark Nicholls (02:38):
Lovely car. You all right?
Alex Legouix (02:40):
Yeah, I know.
Olly Murs (02:41):
It's a nice car, isn't it?
Mark Nicholls (02:42):
Very, very nice car.
Alex Legouix (02:43):
It's mine.
Olly Murs (02:43):
I was just saying to Alex that you was my first boss.
Mark Nicholls (02:46):
I know. In the sweet shop. He's changed. I taught
him everything he knew. (inaudible) .
Alex Legouix (02:49):
I was going to say, what was he like at 13?
Mark Nicholls (02:54):
Stays a secret. (inaudible) .
Olly Murs (02:55):
Yeah. I was going to say be careful. No, Mark was brilliant for me. He actually got
me into football properly again. I lost a bit of
passion for football and yeah. Good to see you.
Mark Nicholls (03:05):
You all right?
Olly Murs (03:05):
Yeah, I'm really good. Yeah.
Mark Nicholls (03:07):
(inaudible) .
Olly Murs (03:06):
I'll come back and see you later, Mark.
Mark Nicholls (03:07):
Yeah. No worries. You take care. Nice in your lovely car.
Alex Legouix (03:08):
Nice to meet you.
Mark Nicholls (03:09):
Just leave it here for me later.
Alex Legouix (03:11):
Yeah, yeah. All right.
Mark Nicholls (03:11):
Cheers.
Olly Murs (03:13):
Love you, mate.
Alex Legouix (03:14):
Hey, should we get going?
Olly Murs (03:16):
Let's go. No, that you can change.
Alex Legouix (03:26):
So we can thank your knee injury for you becoming
a singer then. Tell us more about what happened with
your ACL.
Olly Murs (03:32):
I was playing football and I planted my left leg
and there was no one around me. And as I
planted my left leg, it snapped behind me.
Alex Legouix (03:40):
Did you hear it snap?
Olly Murs (03:42):
I felt it crack, yeah. I didn't really understand what
it was, but I didn't realize at the time, because
at the time I was obviously very annoyed and angry.
That was one of the most pivotal moments in my life.
Alex Legouix (03:54):
That was the sliding doors moment.
Olly Murs (03:55):
That was the kind of sliding doors-
Alex Legouix (03:57):
Sliding ACL.
Olly Murs (03:57):
... moment for me. Yep. You clear this side. So
yeah, that was a pivotal moment for me in my life. It
changed everything. What happened is it led me to the
pub, because of that recovery of ACL, I had no choice to see
my mates. That was the only way I could do it. So
after games of football I would go down there and
I saw a karaoke machine one night in the George
in Witham.
Alex Legouix (04:18):
What was your karaoke song?
Olly Murs (04:20):
Well, I used to do impressions, so it'd be like Frank
Sinatra, My Way.
Alex Legouix (04:24):
Go on then.
Olly Murs (04:26):
And now, the end is near. And so I face
the final curtain.
Alex Legouix (04:37):
Oh, yes.
Olly Murs (04:37):
And then I would do a bit of Elvis Presley. So I'd be like, (inaudible) . I used to do all
that and then I would sing a couple of songs
normally and all my mates were like, " Wow, you actually a
good singer." And I was like, " Really?" And that all come
from my youth and that all come from growing up. Sorry. There
was a girl that used to live down there. She
(04:58):
used to be my first proper love. I fancied her.
She was like my proper first girlfriend.
Alex Legouix (05:05):
How old were you when you had your first love?
Olly Murs (05:05):
I don't know, first girlfriend, she was like 11, 12. But I always remember that road
there because she lived down it. She had a lovely
house, but she was the one, all the boys fancied
her, you know what I mean? But she actually dumped
me, because I was too small. She said, " When I'm
holding your hand and we're walking down the street, I
feel like I'm with my younger brother. I feel like
(05:27):
with my brother." Oh my god. That's the shop where Mark used
to own.
Alex Legouix (05:34):
Where you first worked?
Olly Murs (05:35):
That's where I used to work, yeah. I always remember
that tree. That's where we used to get all our conkers from on the
way home.
Alex Legouix (05:43):
It feels quite leafy around here.
Olly Murs (05:45):
Very leafy.
Alex Legouix (05:45):
Little bungalows.
Olly Murs (05:46):
Literally we are pulling into my old, my first house.
Alex Legouix (05:49):
Nice pretty cottages.
Olly Murs (05:49):
That's where I grew up. God, it's weird driving up here.
Alex Legouix (05:55):
Right. What age were when you were here then?
Olly Murs (05:59):
I would say my mum and dad had us here
when we were pretty much babies.
Alex Legouix (06:03):
For those of who are listening rather than watching, how
would you describe this?
Olly Murs (06:08):
Okay, so it's very tight. It's a very narrow road.
It's an estate. This is a council state. They're all connected.
Alex Legouix (06:15):
Quite a lot of them are painted a different color.
Olly Murs (06:17):
Yeah. So my mum and dad did that as well.
We all painted our houses different colors. My sister's room's
that one there. Me and Ben moved into the main
bedroom when we were young. We used to have a Manchester United
room. So I had all the main wallpaper and that.
Alex Legouix (06:29):
Oh, wow.
Olly Murs (06:30):
So many amazing memories here. And there's a pit green
just over here where now there's a sign saying no
balls allowed. But we used to just play football there all
the time. And we had loads of friends around here.
We used to do the Olympics.
Alex Legouix (06:41):
Brilliant.
Olly Murs (06:42):
We used to do who can sprint the quickest round around-
Alex Legouix (06:44):
Around the block.
Olly Murs (06:44):
... with time. Yeah, you'd go right, jump on your bike,
do a lap on the bike and groups of people
here, little groups of people there. We'd be bikes everywhere.
It was a real fun place to be and it's a
lot greener than it used to be. A lot more
trees have been planted. Now you're entering Pelly Avenue.
Alex Legouix (07:02):
So now we're at the end of Pitt Avenue.
Olly Murs (07:02):
My Nan used to live down there. My Nan lived down
there on the left.
Alex Legouix (07:08):
Oh really?
Olly Murs (07:08):
Yeah, she lived down there.
Alex Legouix (07:08):
Were you close to her?
Olly Murs (07:08):
I was, yeah. Unfortunately no longer with us. My other
grandparents lived here. It's got a gray front balcony, 51.
Yeah, there it is. So everyone was so close, but great
times. My life growing up was brilliant. When I look
back we were rascals.
Alex Legouix (07:23):
Why does that not surprise me?
Olly Murs (07:25):
We were full of sugar, drinking fizzy drinks, chocolate bars. We were
like Tasmanian devils. Now being a parent myself, how my
mum and dad actually-
Alex Legouix (07:34):
Coped.
Olly Murs (07:34):
... coped with two twin boys and a sister 18
months apart, it blows my mind.
Alex Legouix (07:39):
Yes. I was going to say your sister, Faye, what's your relationship like with her?
Olly Murs (07:43):
Amazing. She's great. She's a live wire. Not a day
goes by she doesn't make me laugh. And then not
a day goes by where she's just got some story
to tell about something. She's just, yeah, she's brilliant. She's
an amazing mum, amazing sister. And just, yeah, I think
there's been times in our lives where my sister's been
(08:05):
my big sister. And then there's been times in my
life where I've kind of been the big brother in
a way. We've been there for each other through the
highs and lows of life. We love each other and
we've had our arguments and had our disagreements and we've...
But we've-
Alex Legouix (08:18):
Got each other's back.
Olly Murs (08:19):
Yeah, we've always been there for each other. And I've
got two incredible nephews that she brought into the world
that are just amazing. Two brilliant kids and I love them
to bits. So yeah, got a great family.
Alex Legouix (08:31):
Your dad, Pete, is that right?
Olly Murs (08:32):
Yes, my dad, Pete. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (08:33):
He was a tool maker.
Olly Murs (08:36):
He's an engineer so he would make specific tools for
specific people that are quite bespoke.
Alex Legouix (08:43):
Oh, wow.
Olly Murs (08:43):
So it wouldn't be like he makes screwdrivers and things like
that. These would be very specific details like a car
might need a specific part that needs to get the
engine to a certain point. I hope I'm explaining that
well for my dad that's listening, but that is kind
of what my dad does. Yeah, he works for a
company in Chelmsford. He's been working there all his life.
He absolutely loves his job. He's got real steady hands.
Alex Legouix (09:05):
Yeah, I bet he does.
Olly Murs (09:06):
He's really, really good at little doing anything. We used to play games as a family.
He's really good at anything you've got to hold still.
Alex Legouix (09:12):
What parts of his personality do you feel like you've taken?
Olly Murs (09:15):
My dad has got a great sense of humor, but
he can also be really quite grumpy and he can
be quite stern and quite stubborn I think. But I'd
say the biggest thing I've taken from my dad is
music. His love for music. My dad would play David
Bowie every week, to Queen, to Elton John, to Morrissey,
(09:36):
to the Smiths. And now when I look back I
think, wow, I was just educated with just amazing music
throughout my whole life. He would have the biggest sound
system you've ever heard in your life. The whole street
could have heard it. He would whack it up on
a Saturday afternoon. I mean how we didn't get more
complaints from neighbors, I don't know. Right, mate? Some guy
(09:58):
just noticed us.
Alex Legouix (10:00):
Didn't your mum used to work at a Little Chef?
Olly Murs (10:02):
She did. We just drove past where it was actually.
Alex Legouix (10:05):
What memories do you have of going there?
Olly Murs (10:08):
I just remember the lollies. My mum used to always
bring back these Little Chef lollies. We'd have stacks full of them in the house,
but I just remember my mum not always being there in the
evenings sometimes or some days at weekend she'd be away.
But it was all because they needed to pay the bills.
Alex Legouix (10:27):
We had quite a random request from you because we do
a car snack section and down in the door are
some snacks and I wanted you to explain what you've
got in your hand and why.
Olly Murs (10:42):
Okay, so we've got shrimps and bananas, we've got milk
bottles, we've got mini mushrooms, we've got cola bottles.
Alex Legouix (10:50):
They are like the most iconic pick-a-mix sweets, aren't they?
Olly Murs (10:52):
You know what I mean. Proper pick- a- mix sweets. Yeah. Now the reason I picked
them is because for anyone that knows me, properly knows
me. I mean like mates is when I was driving
my Fiat, I used to love sweets. Now we used
to do a car school at football. Every football match would
go away or even home games. I'd pick the lads
(11:14):
up and I used to always have a box of
sweets, because footballers, we'd always want to get sugar in
us before a game and get the energy up. So I used to
have a bag of sweets and I top it up
every week, because obviously we met Mark earlier, he owned
Sam Stores, but he used to do the best pick- a-
mix. So I used to have just sweets in my car
(11:35):
all the time. So literally in the glove compartment, all
the lads would jump in, they'd go, " Murs, where's the sweets?" " (inaudible)
. You know where they are, boys?" They'd open them
up and we would just eat all my sweets and I used to
just top it up all the time.
Alex Legouix (11:46):
What would've been your go- to pick- a- mix?
Olly Murs (11:49):
Everything. I love Dip Dabs. I used to love them.
But when you're driving they're a little bit hard to eat.
Alex Legouix (11:54):
That's true.
Olly Murs (11:54):
So I would have the chocolate mouses. I'd have-
Alex Legouix (11:57):
Chocolate mouses.
Olly Murs (11:57):
Do you remember them? Brilliant. Little fizzy peaches. Now they
do the watermelons and I used to have them as well. I love them now.
Alex Legouix (12:05):
So you still have a sweet tooth now?
Olly Murs (12:06):
Oh my god, so bad. I'm fasting. Hence, why I
can't even open them sweets. I'm desperate to. Oh my
God, you're going to come... I hate these things.
Alex Legouix (12:19):
Flipping Nora.
Olly Murs (12:24):
Oh my lord.
Alex Legouix (12:24):
So we're about to go through one of those width restrictions, with the killers.
Olly Murs (12:25):
Every time I come this way I've always curbed my wheels.
Alex Legouix (12:28):
And I'm driving an almighty Continental.
Olly Murs (12:31):
What are they? 20 inch wheels and we are now
about to go through. Oh, my Lord. No. Oh, god, Alex.
Alex Legouix (12:36):
The pressure.
Olly Murs (12:36):
Alex, I'm scared. Oh, please. That noise. Are you nervous?
Alex Legouix (12:46):
I'm getting quite hot.
Olly Murs (12:48):
Oh no.
Alex Legouix (12:49):
I got this.
Olly Murs (12:51):
Left, left, left. Go left, go left, go left. Oh my God, Alex.
Yes. Smashed that. Oh my god, you nailed that.
Alex Legouix (13:01):
So we're on our way to Braintree next. What's important
about Braintree?
Olly Murs (13:12):
Braintree was a massive part of my life because the
best parts of my youth was spent here. So from
the age of about 12 to about 19. Learned to have girlfriends
and tried alcohol for the first time and all them
mad things you do as a kid growing up.
Alex Legouix (13:27):
Didn't you love drama at school?
Olly Murs (13:30):
Loved it.
Alex Legouix (13:30):
What stopped you going down that route?
Olly Murs (13:32):
So Witham is where I grew up. Witham Is where
I went to primary school and then we went to
high school, Notley High. Now we went there because my
mum and dad decided to send me and my brother there.
One of the reasons was that they want us to
have friends in different places, different towns, which was quite
cool. So we did, and the subjects that I excelled
(13:53):
in during school was English language, which was talking, obviously,
sport, and I also absolutely loved performing arts. I absolutely
loved it. I loved drama, I loved acting. And my drama
teacher, David Lee Allen, absolutely loved me and was like, "
(14:13):
Olly, we're going to do this. You should do this,
you should do this when you do this play..." Now
for my GCSEs, I had to pick the subjects I wanted
and I think they did that now, but it's more
of a broader choice. Back then it was like, " Unfortunately
Olly, you can't do performing arts because it's on the
same side as sport. You're going to have to pick between that
and that." And I was like, " What? Pick between sport?
(14:35):
They're my two favorite subjects." So I ended up picking sport
and I never forget, David Lee Allen collaring me in the
corridor just going, " Olly, what have you done? You're built to
do it, you should do it." And I was like, "
No, sorry, mate. Football's my thing. I want to do
sport." I don't think he ever spoke to me after that. I think he was
genuinely gutted. And also remember back then it was like
(14:59):
frowned upon in my mates.
Alex Legouix (15:01):
100%.
Olly Murs (15:02):
My mates, if I had said to my mates at the time, "
Lads, I'm doing performing arts over sport," they'd be like, "
Are you what?" And that was just the way it was
back then.
Alex Legouix (15:12):
Yeah, so tragic.
Olly Murs (15:12):
I was just very afraid of making that decision. I
was like, " Oh my god, my mates might not like me
and they might think this and might think that and I don't want to
do that." And that's just the way it was back
then. But I genuinely believed I was going to have
a career in sport, whether it was professional sport or whether
I was going to be a personal trainer, which is
what I ended up studying in the end at college.
(15:33):
But that was my thought process. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (15:35):
So you didn't end up doing drama but you ended
up becoming an enormous pop star, which then also led
you for a little bit at least to end up co-
owning Coggeshall.
Olly Murs (15:47):
I love when people try to announce it.
Alex Legouix (15:49):
Coggeshall.
Olly Murs (15:49):
Coggeshall.
Alex Legouix (15:49):
Coggeshall Town.
Olly Murs (15:51):
So Coggeshall for me or Coggeshall was a passion project.
I was going through a bit of a crazy period in my life for a
bit of a while where I'd just lost a sense of
reality of not where I come from, because I've always
been quite grounded, but I just needed something away from
music, something away from TV, something away from the industry
(16:14):
that I could just be myself and be Olly. So
Coggeshall came along, my uncle was the manager there and
he's friend was the chairman, co- owner, and he just said, "
Do you want to come over and sponsor the team?"
And I said, "Yeah, yeah." And he said, " Look, if you
ever want to come and play some games, get yourself
fit for Soccer Aid or something, come and play." So I did. I
started doing that. Then one thing led to another and
(16:37):
then I ended up becoming the director of the club.
And it was honestly seven years of honestly some of the
most amazing memories of my life. I had such a
good time and the lads that were there treated me
like one of their own. I walk in the dressing
room and I was just one of the boys and we
had such a laugh. So many crazy things happened. Stuff that
(16:57):
you can't talk about in the papers, do you know
what I mean? And in the end, obviously we parted
ways and it was great and it worked out at
the right time really because I ended up meeting Amelia
anyway and we've now obviously got married and had a baby
and Coggeshall filled the gap for a period of my
life where I really needed it.
Alex Legouix (17:16):
Yeah, that's really interesting. Can I also say that Coggeshall,
Coggeshall is really pretty.
Olly Murs (17:22):
It's beautiful. It's absolutely-
Alex Legouix (17:23):
What a gorgeous village and (inaudible) -
Olly Murs (17:25):
Really old school, very Anglo- Saxon vibes.
Alex Legouix (17:28):
Anglo-Saxon. So pretty, isn't it?
Olly Murs (17:30):
Yeah, beautiful area. And we had a great football team
for many, many years. It's actually just here on the left. This is
actually it now. This is Coggeshall Town here. We were
called the Seed Growers.
Alex Legouix (17:41):
All still looks quite old school.
Olly Murs (17:43):
Yeah, it's an old place, but there's a massive clubhouse
that I was heavily involved in to build something of
a social club there. You can't see it. It's right
in the back there. But just a really great place
and good memories for a short time in my life. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (17:56):
Yeah. Nice.
Olly Murs (17:57):
I believe everything happens for a reason. Everything I've done
in my life, there's a link to it. My first
car was a Fiat Cinquecento.
Alex Legouix (18:05):
Cinquecento. Oh, I love them.
Olly Murs (18:08):
Where did I buy that from? AutoTrader.
Alex Legouix (18:11):
No.
Olly Murs (18:12):
Yes, I saw it advertised in the AutoTrader, then I went
and saw it.
Alex Legouix (18:15):
Amazing.
Olly Murs (18:15):
So I know he sounds ridiculous, but there's so many
things that linked in.
Alex Legouix (18:19):
Yeah, the serendipity.
Olly Murs (18:19):
So many things that linked in. I went and signed for Coggeshall Town that end
up being the Seed Growers and I worked for the
seed company that are in Coggeshall called King Seeds.
Alex Legouix (18:33):
Today we're driving a brand new Bentley Continental GT. And
very nice too, isn't it? What do you think?
Olly Murs (18:40):
Incredible. Love everything about it.
Alex Legouix (18:42):
Did you know that a very special edition Bentley was made
to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee and used to transport the
late Queen Elizabeth to her first cabinet meeting with David
Cameron and that was listed on AutoTrader for 200 grand.
Olly Murs (18:57):
Joking Me.
Alex Legouix (18:58):
I know, right?
Olly Murs (18:59):
Wow. That is a very special Bentley.
Alex Legouix (19:01):
And you have a star- studded story about your first
Bentley, don't you?
Olly Murs (19:06):
I do. I actually remember I pre- ordered it and my
first ever Bentley and obviously my first ever nice car. I was
on tour with One Direction touring across America and I
just remember counting down the weeks and days to get
home to drive my first ever Bentley. A bit of a bougie thing
to talk about, like pop starry thing. It was just one of my first
things I ever purchased when I come off the show. I thought
(19:27):
I've got to get a nice car and I got a Bentley.
Alex Legouix (19:28):
Very nice. Well, you can find thousands of new cars like
this one on AutoTrader where they are ready and available
to drive away today. Should we get on with the show?
Olly Murs (19:37):
Let's do it.
Alex Legouix (19:47):
What age did you start driving?
Olly Murs (19:49):
I was actually a late burner. I was 21.
Alex Legouix (19:51):
What? Why?
Olly Murs (19:52):
Because I had everything on my doorstep. I was quite lazy
really? And I'd really good friends. They used to all drive
me around everywhere and I used to like getting public transport
so I used to jump on the bus to college and then
I broke up with my ex, my first girlfriend and
I just was like, you know what, it's time for
me to pass my driving test, and I did at the age of 21.
Alex Legouix (20:11):
And then your first car was the Cinquecento, was it?
Olly Murs (20:13):
Fiat, yeah. And I used to always say to any
girl that I was dating, they'd be like, " What car do
you drive?" And I'd just to go, " Well all I'm going
to say is it's Ferrari red." Anyone that's listening, if
you don't know what a Fiat Cinquecento is, cast your minds back to
Inbetweeners, the yellow car that Simon used to drive, that
is my car. And you know what? I had it
before them and everyone used to cane me for it and
(20:36):
I used to love it. I had infinity speakers in
the back, I had a bow system in the front,
it was popping off. I had music blaring. I used
to pick all my mates up on nights out. I
never used to drink. So it was perfect. I was
like Murs' taxi.
Alex Legouix (20:50):
Murs' taxi.
Olly Murs (20:50):
So was literally taking all my drunken friends around Essex.
It was brilliant.
Alex Legouix (20:56):
Tell me more about college life.
Olly Murs (20:57):
§ College life was crazy but good. I left school
with not very good grades and I ended up trying
to get into science and sport. Luckily the college did
this really basic course which was like to run a
sports center. We had a reception desk, we had the
sports hall, we had the locker rooms, we had a
(21:18):
diary, we had to book everyone in for their classes.
We had disabled children come in, so we would take
the classes for them. It weren't really going to school
or college, it was actually going to work. We just
didn't get paid for it. And then what was a
bonus was that all the beauticians would come in. So that
was the perk. You know what I mean? But for me, I learned
(21:40):
so much. I ended up working in fitness first for
a while on a Friday. But it was, yeah, I had a good
time at college. Good fun. Yeah, so you see the
roundabout coming up. Braintree College is on your right- hand
side there. Boom. God, I haven't been here in years. I haven't been in the
college. It's actually bringing back memories now. There's my college. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (22:00):
Look, Braintree.
Olly Murs (22:02):
It's called Braintree Campus now. Oh, they were good times,
Braintree College. But what I used to love was the com
room area where everyone would hang out. We'd have a
jukebox and music and used to just be able to play whatever
you wanted. And I always loved going in because there'd always
be these lads that were like skater boy kind of vibes
(22:24):
and they'd all play Limp Bizkit and Korn and System
of a Down and there'd be these guys there with their
long hair and their grubby trainers and they're smoking. Then
I would just go straight in there, stick two or
three quid in this machine and it would just be
boy band after boy band after boy band. Like Westlife,
(22:45):
Blue, Take That. I was like, I'm just going to
annoy you guys. So that was kind of thing I would do
like to prank people.
Alex Legouix (22:52):
Imagine now you'd be in there putting on Olly Murs.
Olly Murs (22:55):
It is something that you wonder if people at Braintree
College know that I went there, because when I was-
Alex Legouix (23:02):
Probably. (inaudible) .
Olly Murs (23:03):
When I was growing up, if someone I knew had made it
or become a pop star or singer, I did three years-
Alex Legouix (23:08):
There's probably pictures of you all in every hallway.
Olly Murs (23:11):
I mean, don't get me excited, Alex. I really hope
they do.
Alex Legouix (23:14):
They probably get down on their knees every day and
pray to you.
Olly Murs (23:17):
There's a shrine room. If you want to go and see Olly
Murs, here's a shrine. This is a room for you to just admire.
Right. Where are we off to now, Alex?
Alex Legouix (23:30):
Well, I want to know how you-
Olly Murs (23:32):
(inaudible) is the story of my life. The story of my life.
Alex Legouix (23:35):
Your old secondary school.
Olly Murs (23:36):
Yeah, left here. This left here. Yeah. God, I haven't
been down these road in years. Oh, it gets me
excited. This is where we would all walk.
Alex Legouix (23:49):
Doesn't sound like you have any negative gripes from school or-
Olly Murs (23:53):
Don't get me wrong, it weren't perfect. There was some
difficult moments. Any kid going through school, there's loads of
difficult moments. Had some difficult days like I mean, you're
going through that whole puberty stage. It was a crazy time, but
I loved it. But yeah, this is my old school
right there.
Alex Legouix (24:10):
Oh, here.
Olly Murs (24:10):
I'm getting more nervous us pulling into this school more
than I would be at the O2 in front of 25, 000 people.
Alex Legouix (24:19):
What?
Olly Murs (24:19):
This is weird. This is mad.
Alex Legouix (24:20):
Okay, so there's a big blue (inaudible) -
Olly Murs (24:22):
Yeah. On the left-hand side as you walk into Notley High School.
This is completely new. I haven't seen that before. The
sports center is still the same. That's still the same.
Alex Legouix (24:31):
So straight ahead of us is a light blue and dark blue building.
Olly Murs (24:35):
Yep, this is all the same. It used to be red and black. That's the
student entrance. But now all these fences were never here.
This whole Braintree six form was a massive playground. That's
all been taken over now by Braintree Theater and six form.
Alex Legouix (24:47):
Interesting that they've obviously really pushed the theater side, isn't it?
Olly Murs (24:51):
Well obviously they create superstars here in Notley High School.
Alex Legouix (24:53):
That's a thing. And again, if I look through there, I can
see an Olly shrine.
Olly Murs (24:57):
Yeah, no you can't. But no, I mean this is my school. Yeah. Notley High.
I've got nothing but love for the people and the
staff, the teachers. Now at the end of the year,
I don't know if they still do it now, kids,
they probably do it on social media or something different,
but all my teachers had to write something about me in
(25:19):
my book and they'd sign it. So I bought this
book from Woolworth's and I just got everyone to write like
my friends and my school teachers. Now get this. I was 16 when I
left school and I honestly, no joke, I wish I had it with
here with me now, every single teacher or friend all said, "
We're going to miss hearing you singing down the corridors.
(25:40):
We can't wait to see you on TV. We wish you all
the best in the future."
Alex Legouix (25:44):
You had that star appeal.
Olly Murs (25:45):
I was like, "What?" The teacher would be like, "All you used to do was
sing in the classroom, going to miss that and dancing
away." And I'm like, these are things that I was so
oblivious to.
Alex Legouix (25:56):
But you had the X Factor, so it was-
Olly Murs (25:58):
Actually there must have been something there because obviously I
ended up going into it, but at that precise moment in
my life at 16, 17, I was not thinking about being
a pop star.
Alex Legouix (26:11):
So we're heading now back to Witham.
Olly Murs (26:12):
Back to Witham. Okay, so now we're going through the Notley's. So Notley
High on the way to Notley, you go through Black
Notley and then you go through White Notley.
Alex Legouix (26:24):
Is that where you had your panic attack?
Olly Murs (26:27):
Yeah. Now give you a bit of context to it. I
did X Factor. Presented the show from 2015 for one
season with Caroline, God rest her soul. And it was
probably one of the most craziest, incredible things I've done.
But wow, the scrutiny, the pressure on my shoulders to
(26:49):
present the biggest TV show in the country was crazy,
right? Now, when I finished that, I needed a break.
I was exhausted mentally and physically. I had all sorts
going on health- wise. I think I ended up getting
glandular fever or something. I was gone and I broke
up with my ex at the time. So it was
quite a lot going on for me personally.
Alex Legouix (27:10):
Lot going on, yeah.
Olly Murs (27:10):
So I just needed a break. Wrote a new album,
everything was good. And then I'm driving down the road
and there'd been a few conversations about me doing The
Voice. Had a few interviews about it. And then I
remember driving back from Braintree to Witham. My mate, Mace,
was in the car and got a phone call from
my manager saying that, " Olly, you've got the job. They
want you. You're starting on The Voice with Will. I.
(27:32):
Am, Jennifer Hudson, Sir Tom Jones, this is so exciting.
This is incredible." And I looked around to my mate, Mace, and
he's going, " Oh my God, yes." And I was just like, " Yeah." Inside of me, my heart
was going... I was like, "What have I just done? What have I just done? What have I just done? I can't
(27:54):
do it. I can't do it. I can't do it." I was like, this
is the worst news that could have ever happened to
me. And I had a massive panic attack over it. Now
don't get me wrong, what I went through was nothing compared to what other
people go through, but mentally at the time it freaked
me out going back on TV again. Was I going to
make a mistake? Were the papers going to slag me
off? People were going to say I was useless, because that's all I
(28:15):
got when I did X Factor was you're useless, you're
not good, you're not a great presenter, you're not this,
you're not that. And I just thought like, oh my God, I'm just going back
into the world that I was in previously where I just got
so much hate. And don't be wrong, there was loads
of positives too, but I just got loads of hate
and I was just like, " I'm not sure I can
do it." So then that's when, and I've openly spoke
(28:37):
about this before, but I openly went and saw a
therapist and had some meetings with this lovely lady. Now I haven't
been back since, but I did about two or three
sit downs. Oh my God, it helped me so much.
And also what helped me so much was getting back
in the firing line again. One of the things I
learned was how to (inaudible) , sort of mentalize that and understand
(28:58):
how I was feeling. And she gave me these techniques
on how to deal with that other voice in your
head that's like telling you you can't do this, run
away. There's the exit, don't go there. You're happy in
life. Everything's great. Why do it? And when that extra
voice overpowers the other voice in my head that's like
fearless and don't care, let's do this, that's when it
(29:18):
got scary for me. But then when I figured it
out, that's what changed everything. And I ended up doing
the voice and I sat in the red chair and
I was petrified the first day and I was like, do you know what?
You have to do this. You need to jump back
in the saddle. You need to just get on with
it and what will be will be. You're great at
what you do. You're really good on TV, you've got
(29:40):
it, you've got this, Olly, you've got this. Do what
you do best. Entertain people, have some fun, be cheeky
and just have a good time. And I did. And
it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I
loved it. I did it for seven years. Yeah, it was what I needed. Brilliant.
Alex Legouix (29:55):
Wow.
Olly Murs (29:56):
So listen, so many other people go through much more
serious mental health issues and I've had panic attacks and
it's all relative to each person, isn't it? And there's
been loads of other things that have happened in my life, but that was
the first time in my life I ever was like, why am I
not happy in this moment? Why am I scared? Why
am I worried? Why am I fearing? But I think
(30:16):
when you go and see someone and you talk to
someone you don't know, but basically you decompress them thoughts
and you put them out there to universe, you talk
about it and then that person analyzes it, understands it,
talks to you on a level and you're like, " Wow,
I never looked at it like that before. I'm only
looking at it in one instinct of petrified. I hated
it. I don't want to do that, I don't want to do this." Then when you get
(30:38):
the other side of it, the other perspective, you're like,
oh maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. Or
maybe there is ways of dealing with this and it was.
Alex Legouix (30:44):
Good for you for breaking the silence.
Olly Murs (30:47):
Yeah, I recommend it to anyone. I don't like to drum
it down people's throats about mental health and go, I've
struggled too, like join the trend. Do you know what I mean?
I wanted to talk about it, because I felt that
there's men out there that wouldn't talk about it. And
if I could show people that I'm this cheeky fun
guy you see on TV that almost has a carefree
lifestyle, doesn't really care about things, I do. I do
(31:09):
care about things and I do struggle sometimes. I've had some really tough
times in my life, but if I can help one person
in this interview or in any interview I do when
I do talk about it that they go, "Do you know what?
Something at work's really triggered me recently, something that I'm
really struggling with or I've got offered a new job
and I didn't want to do it." That's what it
comes down to. Forget it was The Voice, forget who
(31:29):
I am.
Alex Legouix (31:30):
Yeah, exactly.
Olly Murs (31:31):
Forget me and who I am. If this was just
me talking to a friend down the pub, " Oh my
god, I've just been off this new job, it's paying
this much, it's going to be incredible, but I actually
don't want to do it now." " But why?" " I'm scared." " Why are
you scared?" Because I don't know, I'm not going to be good
enough." What do you mean you not going to be good enough? You're
brilliant at it. That's what you've been doing all your
(31:51):
life." If your friend or your family member or someone
around you can't help you understand that, go and see
someone, because I tell you what, it massively helped me. Fear of the unknown
scares so many people. Sometimes you've got to leap yourself
into it feet first and just embrace it. When you
do, oh my god, the reward's incredible.
Alex Legouix (32:08):
That's where you do the most growing.
Olly Murs (32:10):
Exactly, exactly. Yeah. And that is exactly what happened to me. Love how
we're driving around in Essex, my local town.
Alex Legouix (32:24):
In a Bentley.
Olly Murs (32:24):
In a Bentley and they're all like, " That's definitely Olly Murs." They
wouldn't be thinking this was anyone else. They'd be like, "Oh my god,
state of this guy thinks he's big time Charlie." This
is what I try not to do when I drive
around here.
Alex Legouix (32:39):
Did you work in Witham?
Olly Murs (32:41):
Yep. Worked in various places. My best job I had
was as a recruitment consultant. I worked for Prime Appointments.
Alex Legouix (32:48):
What do they do?
Olly Murs (32:49):
So they specialize in getting people jobs. So whether that
be in office or industrial jobs.
Alex Legouix (32:54):
But through all this time then were you still pub singing?
Olly Murs (32:59):
Yeah, so I actually sung at one of their Christmas parties.
Alex Legouix (33:02):
Oh, right?
Olly Murs (33:02):
I was in a band at the time called the Small Town
Blaggers, which was a name that I come up with
just because I loved the Livitines.
Alex Legouix (33:08):
Yes.
Olly Murs (33:09):
And there was a song called the Small Town Blaggers
and I really liked the title name. So I nicked it and I
got paid the night of our Christmas party, which was
sick, but then it got all the chance for the
office to see me perform and they thought I was
brilliant. They loved it.
Alex Legouix (33:21):
Wow.
Olly Murs (33:23):
But I worked in Kitchens Direct as well, which was
great. That was my first proper job really at the
age of 16, selling kitchens for three years. So anyway,
now we're coming up Witham High Street. I love it.
In the film, Wizard of Oz, Dorothy said it perfectly, "
There is no place like home." And I promise you
now I've traveled the world, I've been to some incredible places, but
(33:45):
just something about being in Witham and it wouldn't be
for everyone. Maybe I went and lived in your town,
it wouldn't be for me. There's something about Witham that
draws me back every time. I love it. I absolutely love it.
Alex Legouix (33:57):
This is a nice looking high street.
Olly Murs (33:59):
That's where Prime Appointments used to be.
Alex Legouix (34:02):
They have got such lovely buildings.
Olly Murs (34:02):
Prime Appointments used to be there and we were right next door to Wetherspoon, so it was
great. And that's where Kitchens Direct was upstairs. See where
all their windows are open? That's where it used to
be, Kitchens Direct. Yeah. I wasn't driving, but everyone would
put their cars in here and we'd all just congregate
outside waiting for our shift to start. Used to do 10
till 1:00, 2
(34:22):
our rota.
Alex Legouix (34:23):
But a far cry from your career in TV.
Olly Murs (34:26):
Crazy. Well, just lucky.
Alex Legouix (34:28):
What age were you then when you made that choice?
Olly Murs (34:31):
Well, I was working in Prime Appointments, decided to go
traveling. So I went to Australia for three months, 2008.
And it was the most amazing experience. It changed my
life. It gave me a chance to be independent and
be away from my parents and to get some real
life skills and I just decided to come back and
(34:52):
do X Factor and I took a whim. I did
it a couple of times before that and failed. And I thought,
right, you know what, I'll do it this time and
see what happens. So I did it and it changed
my life. Yeah, I got to the final and then the rest
was history really.
Alex Legouix (35:07):
Was it amazing?
Olly Murs (35:08):
X Factor? People always say, " I'd love to go back
to school again and live them school years." Mine would
be X Factor again. I would do that again. If
Marty McFly was here now, and Doc, and they said-
Alex Legouix (35:20):
What do you think that you like the most (inaudible) -
Olly Murs (35:20):
In their DeLorean and then said to me, " Murs, we
can go back in time." I'd be like, " Right. Take
me back to X Factor 2009."
Alex Legouix (35:28):
What did you like most about it?
Olly Murs (35:30):
I just loved the thrill of it. I was on the
cusp of changing my life and on the cusp of
something really special and something unique that no one in
Witham or anyone in my life, my family or my friends
had ever experienced before. It was something extraordinary. A guy
from Essex that lived on a council estate that you've
just seen today that ends up being on the biggest
(35:51):
TV show in the country. It was just that thrill
and that excitement that I was getting of like, oh my
God, my life is changing in front of my eyes
and I don't really know-
Alex Legouix (36:00):
That's so good that you were aware of it at the time.
Olly Murs (36:00):
I just couldn't believe it. I just was like, wow. And
then every week it just got more and more enjoyable,
more and more exciting, more and more like, oh my
God, I might even get a record deal. I might
even have an album. And then the reality of the
show finishing and then all of a sudden everywhere I went
people knew who I was. It was crazy. And then there's
(36:21):
days and months where sometimes I look back on that
experience of X Factor and go, what if that didn't
happen? And sometimes there's part of me that goes when
I'm out with Amelia and the last thing I want
to do is be noticed. Or if I'm out with
Maddie now I'm walking her and people go, " Olly, can I get a photo?" Don't get me
wrong, I love getting people asking me and there'll be
(36:43):
a day when no one asks me and I'll be
fuming. Why is people not recognizing me? And someone always
said to me, " You'll be annoyed when people stop asking,
because you'll know then your career's over." And I was
like, "Do you know what? You're not far wrong." So I embrace it.
But that experience, that thrill, it was a roller coaster
of emotions. I'll never, ever, ever get close to that
experience ever again. And I loved it. And you've just
(37:05):
secretly lured me in to telling you about my life
and now are actually at my old house. So this
is where my mum and dad moved us to from
Pitt Avenue to Carraways. I have not been back here
since my mum and dad moved out.
Alex Legouix (37:19):
No way.
Olly Murs (37:20):
I wasn't even here on the day they moved out
and I just wanted to remember the house as it was
because it was the big, big part of our lives
that time.
Alex Legouix (37:28):
Well this looks like a much newer-
Olly Murs (37:29):
Well, this is more modern, it's a bit more modern. These houses got
built in the late '90s, early 2000s. So this whole
area was like, " Oh my God, we're living in a
brand new house." Oh god, someone there. Oh, don't pull in.
Alex Legouix (37:44):
How does it feel looking at it?
Olly Murs (37:46):
Oh my god. It feels weird. Yeah, it's amazing. It's a beautiful house.
Alex Legouix (37:48):
Weird good?
Olly Murs (37:50):
Yeah, great memories before X Factor. I had amazing Christmases
there. When I come back off X Factor, this whole
street, all people came to greet me home. And then
even my first Christmas here was crazy. People knocking on the door on Christmas
day to get photos with me and stuff. But just
after that every Christmas was just like, I'm coming home.
I don't think my family and my sister and everyone
(38:12):
else could appreciate that from my perspective. My mum and
dad needed to move and they found another house and
they needed to change their life, which is fine. Everyone
needs a different change, don't they, something new. But for
me it was my little safe haven, my little pocket
of the past. And then when that went it was
like, oh man, that was kind of it then. That
(38:33):
was the end of my childhood.
Alex Legouix (38:36):
Yeah, you look quite emotional telling-
Olly Murs (38:38):
Yeah, I am. Yeah, because it was, it really hurt
me. I was gutted. But life moves on. You've changed, don't
you? Everyone moves and me and Amelia have just left a home
that we've been living in for five years. So you
just end up changing it, it is what it is.
Alex Legouix (39:01):
And we're back here where it all began.
Olly Murs (39:04):
Back to Witham.
Alex Legouix (39:05):
Witham Town Football Club and there's Mark.
Olly Murs (39:08):
Back where it started.
Alex Legouix (39:09):
Yeah. So what is the future for Olly Murs?
Olly Murs (39:12):
Honestly, it's going to sound so cheesy, but I just want
to be the best husband and the best dad. Whatever
else comes with that, with work, amazing. I embrace it.
But I'm now at a point in my life where I'm
now a dad and I'm a husband and I've got
beautiful wife and kids. I just want to provide for
them, give them the best life, be present. And I've
(39:33):
realized even more than ever, particularly in the last couple
of months having Maddie that me and Amelia are just
a great team. We're great together. And having a baby,
particularly like you've got to work together. And we're just such
an incredible team. We're just brilliant and I love her
so much. Amelia and the baby are literally the priority
of my life.
Alex Legouix (39:53):
How will your career evolve do you think now?
Olly Murs (39:56):
Don't know. I've got no fear of the unknown. I've
got amazing music career. I'll always do that. Is there
other opportunities? 100%. Life's great, man. And I know it's been difficult
for everyone. Life's crazy. So much happening in the world,
politics, wars. If you can, just try and live in
the present with the people around you that you love, they're the
(40:18):
most important people and just try and be there for
them. That's what I'd say.
Alex Legouix (40:23):
Olly, I've loved this present moment.
Olly Murs (40:25):
It has been amazing. Thanks, Alex.
Alex Legouix (40:27):
Thank you for your honesty, your humor.
Olly Murs (40:29):
Sorry about that.
Alex Legouix (40:29):
Thank you for the snacks that you're going to leave me.
Olly Murs (40:31):
Oh no, you-
Alex Legouix (40:32):
Because you're on a fast.
Olly Murs (40:33):
I could take one. Maybe I could take the bananas.
Thank you for taking me on this journey.
Alex Legouix (40:39):
Thanks, buddy.
Olly Murs (40:40):
All right.
Alex Legouix (40:41):
Right. Bye.
Olly Murs (40:42):
Bye. If you leave me now. You take away the
biggest part of me.
Alex Legouix (40:53):
That was an absolute joy. Olly's so down to earth,
isn't he? And absolutely hilarious. I hope you enjoyed that
as much as I did. Show On The Road is a
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Leave a quick rating in your podcast app and a
(41:14):
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and all the drives we're doing this series. It sounds
like Olly's had a lot of car adventures, doesn't it? Well, choosing
the vehicle you're going to start your next story in
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(41:35):
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expert reviews and videos to help you find the perfect
fit. Find your next car and start your next story on the
AutoTrader app or at AutoTrader. co. uk. In our next episode,
we'll be guided around the neighborhood of a man who's single-
handedly making science one of the coolest things you could
(41:58):
be into.
Speaker 5 (41:59):
A scientist can look like anyone really and truly. And
that's one of the reasons why I deliver my content how
I do. Because no matter which industry you work in,
I'm trying to encourage people to be themselves.
Alex Legouix (42:12):
Until then, I'm Alex Legouix. Bye for now.
Boom. God, I haven't been here in years. (inaudible)
the story of my life. The story of my life. So many crazy things
happened. Stuff you can't talk about in the papers. Do you know what I mean? I just
lost a sense of reality. Oh, my Lord, no. Alex,
I'm scared.
Alex Legouix (00:23):
Sat in the passenger seat next to me in a
moment will be one of the biggest pop stars on
the planet. His music's been streamed over 2 billion times
on Spotify alone. He's had five UK number one albums
and four massive number one singles. And to top it
off, he's also a huge TV star. Yet despite all
(00:45):
of that, Olly Murs is a completely normal bloke, a
humble man with a wicked sense of humor from Witham
in Essex. In this episode of Show On The Road,
Olly takes us on a tour of his hometown showing
us the places where he cut his teeth in life.
Brought to you by AutoTrader, the UK's largest automotive platform,
(01:05):
this is Show On The Road. I'm Alex Legouix driving
a Bentley Continental GT into the car park of Witham
Town Football Club. And there is one of their former
players, Mr. Olly Murs.
Olly Murs (01:20):
Wow. Yes, Alex. Very nice car. I'm not sure about the color.
Alex Legouix (01:26):
What?
Olly Murs (01:28):
I'm a Manchester United fan.
Alex Legouix (01:30):
Oh, sorry.
Olly Murs (01:31):
Sky blue's not my color, but the car is. You
need to be in LA for this sort of car,
definitely not Witham.
Alex Legouix (01:37):
Sexy, huh?
Olly Murs (01:38):
Brings back memories. This one.
Alex Legouix (01:42):
How are you doing?
Olly Murs (01:43):
I'm great, thanks. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (01:44):
Good.
Olly Murs (01:44):
Welcome to Witham.
Alex Legouix (01:45):
Oh, thank you. It's nice to be here.
Olly Murs (01:48):
Welcome to my hometown. It's always nice to be back
here. And even just looking around now, the old football
club, played many, many years here. Just feels good.
Alex Legouix (01:56):
So what sort of age were you playing for Witham Town?
Olly Murs (01:59):
19, 20 till about 23.
Alex Legouix (02:02):
What position?
Olly Murs (02:03):
Wherever I could play. No, I used to play upfront.
I used to play as a center- forward, then I played wing
and here was where I suffered my ACL break on my
knee, which was sort of the beginning of the end
of my football career. And then that led me to music.
Alex Legouix (02:17):
Who's that up there?
Olly Murs (02:18):
Oh, so that is Mark Nicholls. Mark. So Mark was
my first boss. He owns the football club, so when I was
13 he got me my first paper- round job.
Alex Legouix (02:29):
What?
Olly Murs (02:30):
Yeah.
Alex Legouix (02:31):
I love that.
Olly Murs (02:32):
Sometimes two paper- rounds a morning.
Crew (02:34):
Rolling.
Olly Murs (02:34):
Now Mark's changed a lot since I first met him
all them years ago. This is Alex.
Alex Legouix (02:37):
Hi.
Mark Nicholls (02:37):
Mark, hi. How are you? All right?
Alex Legouix (02:38):
How are you doing?
Mark Nicholls (02:38):
Lovely car. You all right?
Alex Legouix (02:40):
Yeah, I know.
Olly Murs (02:41):
It's a nice car, isn't it?
Mark Nicholls (02:42):
Very, very nice car.
Alex Legouix (02:43):
It's mine.
Olly Murs (02:43):
I was just saying to Alex that you was my first boss.
Mark Nicholls (02:46):
I know. In the sweet shop. He's changed. I taught
him everything he knew. (inaudible) .
Alex Legouix (02:49):
I was going to say, what was he like at 13?
Mark Nicholls (02:54):
Stays a secret. (inaudible) .
Olly Murs (02:55):
Yeah. I was going to say be careful. No, Mark was brilliant for me. He actually got
me into football properly again. I lost a bit of
passion for football and yeah. Good to see you.
Mark Nicholls (03:05):
You all right?
Olly Murs (03:05):
Yeah, I'm really good. Yeah.
Mark Nicholls (03:07):
(inaudible) .
Olly Murs (03:06):
I'll come back and see you later, Mark.
Mark Nicholls (03:07):
Yeah. No worries. You take care. Nice in your lovely car.
Alex Legouix (03:08):
Nice to meet you.
Mark Nicholls (03:09):
Just leave it here for me later.
Alex Legouix (03:11):
Yeah, yeah. All right.
Mark Nicholls (03:11):
Cheers.
Olly Murs (03:13):
Love you, mate.
Alex Legouix (03:14):
Hey, should we get going?
Olly Murs (03:16):
Let's go. No, that you can change.
Alex Legouix (03:26):
So we can thank your knee injury for you becoming
a singer then. Tell us more about what happened with
your ACL.
Olly Murs (03:32):
I was playing football and I planted my left leg
and there was no one around me. And as I
planted my left leg, it snapped behind me.
Alex Legouix (03:40):
Did you hear it snap?
Olly Murs (03:42):
I felt it crack, yeah. I didn't really understand what
it was, but I didn't realize at the time, because
at the time I was obviously very annoyed and angry.
That was one of the most pivotal moments in my life.
Alex Legouix (03:54):
That was the sliding doors moment.
Olly Murs (03:55):
That was the kind of sliding doors-
Alex Legouix (03:57):
Sliding ACL.
Olly Murs (03:57):
... moment for me. Yep. You clear this side. So
yeah, that was a pivotal moment for me in my life. It
changed everything. What happened is it led me to the
pub, because of that recovery of ACL, I had no choice to see
my mates. That was the only way I could do it. So
after games of football I would go down there and
I saw a karaoke machine one night in the George
in Witham.
Alex Legouix (04:18):
What was your karaoke song?
Olly Murs (04:20):
Well, I used to do impressions, so it'd be like Frank
Sinatra, My Way.
Alex Legouix (04:24):
Go on then.
Olly Murs (04:26):
And now, the end is near. And so I face
the final curtain.
Alex Legouix (04:37):
Oh, yes.
Olly Murs (04:37):
And then I would do a bit of Elvis Presley. So I'd be like, (inaudible) . I used to do all
that and then I would sing a couple of songs
normally and all my mates were like, " Wow, you actually a
good singer." And I was like, " Really?" And that all come
from my youth and that all come from growing up. Sorry. There
was a girl that used to live down there. She
(04:58):
used to be my first proper love. I fancied her.
She was like my proper first girlfriend.
Alex Legouix (05:05):
How old were you when you had your first love?
Olly Murs (05:05):
I don't know, first girlfriend, she was like 11, 12. But I always remember that road
there because she lived down it. She had a lovely
house, but she was the one, all the boys fancied
her, you know what I mean? But she actually dumped
me, because I was too small. She said, " When I'm
holding your hand and we're walking down the street, I
feel like I'm with my younger brother. I feel like
(05:27):
with my brother." Oh my god. That's the shop where Mark used
to own.
Alex Legouix (05:34):
Where you first worked?
Olly Murs (05:35):
That's where I used to work, yeah. I always remember
that tree. That's where we used to get all our conkers from on the
way home.
Alex Legouix (05:43):
It feels quite leafy around here.
Olly Murs (05:45):
Very leafy.
Alex Legouix (05:45):
Little bungalows.
Olly Murs (05:46):
Literally we are pulling into my old, my first house.
Alex Legouix (05:49):
Nice pretty cottages.
Olly Murs (05:49):
That's where I grew up. God, it's weird driving up here.
Alex Legouix (05:55):
Right. What age were when you were here then?
Olly Murs (05:59):
I would say my mum and dad had us here
when we were pretty much babies.
Alex Legouix (06:03):
For those of who are listening rather than watching, how
would you describe this?
Olly Murs (06:08):
Okay, so it's very tight. It's a very narrow road.
It's an estate. This is a council state. They're all connected.
Alex Legouix (06:15):
Quite a lot of them are painted a different color.
Olly Murs (06:17):
Yeah. So my mum and dad did that as well.
We all painted our houses different colors. My sister's room's
that one there. Me and Ben moved into the main
bedroom when we were young. We used to have a Manchester United
room. So I had all the main wallpaper and that.
Alex Legouix (06:29):
Oh, wow.
Olly Murs (06:30):
So many amazing memories here. And there's a pit green
just over here where now there's a sign saying no
balls allowed. But we used to just play football there all
the time. And we had loads of friends around here.
We used to do the Olympics.
Alex Legouix (06:41):
Brilliant.
Olly Murs (06:42):
We used to do who can sprint the quickest round around-
Alex Legouix (06:44):
Around the block.
Olly Murs (06:44):
... with time. Yeah, you'd go right, jump on your bike,
do a lap on the bike and groups of people
here, little groups of people there. We'd be bikes everywhere.
It was a real fun place to be and it's a
lot greener than it used to be. A lot more
trees have been planted. Now you're entering Pelly Avenue.
Alex Legouix (07:02):
So now we're at the end of Pitt Avenue.
Olly Murs (07:02):
My Nan used to live down there. My Nan lived down
there on the left.
Alex Legouix (07:08):
Oh really?
Olly Murs (07:08):
Yeah, she lived down there.
Alex Legouix (07:08):
Were you close to her?
Olly Murs (07:08):
I was, yeah. Unfortunately no longer with us. My other
grandparents lived here. It's got a gray front balcony, 51.
Yeah, there it is. So everyone was so close, but great
times. My life growing up was brilliant. When I look
back we were rascals.
Alex Legouix (07:23):
Why does that not surprise me?
Olly Murs (07:25):
We were full of sugar, drinking fizzy drinks, chocolate bars. We were
like Tasmanian devils. Now being a parent myself, how my
mum and dad actually-
Alex Legouix (07:34):
Coped.
Olly Murs (07:34):
... coped with two twin boys and a sister 18
months apart, it blows my mind.
Alex Legouix (07:39):
Yes. I was going to say your sister, Faye, what's your relationship like with her?
Olly Murs (07:43):
Amazing. She's great. She's a live wire. Not a day
goes by she doesn't make me laugh. And then not
a day goes by where she's just got some story
to tell about something. She's just, yeah, she's brilliant. She's
an amazing mum, amazing sister. And just, yeah, I think
there's been times in our lives where my sister's been
(08:05):
my big sister. And then there's been times in my
life where I've kind of been the big brother in
a way. We've been there for each other through the
highs and lows of life. We love each other and
we've had our arguments and had our disagreements and we've...
But we've-
Alex Legouix (08:18):
Got each other's back.
Olly Murs (08:19):
Yeah, we've always been there for each other. And I've
got two incredible nephews that she brought into the world
that are just amazing. Two brilliant kids and I love them
to bits. So yeah, got a great family.
Alex Legouix (08:31):
Your dad, Pete, is that right?
Olly Murs (08:32):
Yes, my dad, Pete. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (08:33):
He was a tool maker.
Olly Murs (08:36):
He's an engineer so he would make specific tools for
specific people that are quite bespoke.
Alex Legouix (08:43):
Oh, wow.
Olly Murs (08:43):
So it wouldn't be like he makes screwdrivers and things like
that. These would be very specific details like a car
might need a specific part that needs to get the
engine to a certain point. I hope I'm explaining that
well for my dad that's listening, but that is kind
of what my dad does. Yeah, he works for a
company in Chelmsford. He's been working there all his life.
He absolutely loves his job. He's got real steady hands.
Alex Legouix (09:05):
Yeah, I bet he does.
Olly Murs (09:06):
He's really, really good at little doing anything. We used to play games as a family.
He's really good at anything you've got to hold still.
Alex Legouix (09:12):
What parts of his personality do you feel like you've taken?
Olly Murs (09:15):
My dad has got a great sense of humor, but
he can also be really quite grumpy and he can
be quite stern and quite stubborn I think. But I'd
say the biggest thing I've taken from my dad is
music. His love for music. My dad would play David
Bowie every week, to Queen, to Elton John, to Morrissey,
(09:36):
to the Smiths. And now when I look back I
think, wow, I was just educated with just amazing music
throughout my whole life. He would have the biggest sound
system you've ever heard in your life. The whole street
could have heard it. He would whack it up on
a Saturday afternoon. I mean how we didn't get more
complaints from neighbors, I don't know. Right, mate? Some guy
(09:58):
just noticed us.
Alex Legouix (10:00):
Didn't your mum used to work at a Little Chef?
Olly Murs (10:02):
She did. We just drove past where it was actually.
Alex Legouix (10:05):
What memories do you have of going there?
Olly Murs (10:08):
I just remember the lollies. My mum used to always
bring back these Little Chef lollies. We'd have stacks full of them in the house,
but I just remember my mum not always being there in the
evenings sometimes or some days at weekend she'd be away.
But it was all because they needed to pay the bills.
Alex Legouix (10:27):
We had quite a random request from you because we do
a car snack section and down in the door are
some snacks and I wanted you to explain what you've
got in your hand and why.
Olly Murs (10:42):
Okay, so we've got shrimps and bananas, we've got milk
bottles, we've got mini mushrooms, we've got cola bottles.
Alex Legouix (10:50):
They are like the most iconic pick-a-mix sweets, aren't they?
Olly Murs (10:52):
You know what I mean. Proper pick- a- mix sweets. Yeah. Now the reason I picked
them is because for anyone that knows me, properly knows
me. I mean like mates is when I was driving
my Fiat, I used to love sweets. Now we used
to do a car school at football. Every football match would
go away or even home games. I'd pick the lads
(11:14):
up and I used to always have a box of
sweets, because footballers, we'd always want to get sugar in
us before a game and get the energy up. So I used to
have a bag of sweets and I top it up
every week, because obviously we met Mark earlier, he owned
Sam Stores, but he used to do the best pick- a-
mix. So I used to have just sweets in my car
(11:35):
all the time. So literally in the glove compartment, all
the lads would jump in, they'd go, " Murs, where's the sweets?" " (inaudible)
. You know where they are, boys?" They'd open them
up and we would just eat all my sweets and I used to
just top it up all the time.
Alex Legouix (11:46):
What would've been your go- to pick- a- mix?
Olly Murs (11:49):
Everything. I love Dip Dabs. I used to love them.
But when you're driving they're a little bit hard to eat.
Alex Legouix (11:54):
That's true.
Olly Murs (11:54):
So I would have the chocolate mouses. I'd have-
Alex Legouix (11:57):
Chocolate mouses.
Olly Murs (11:57):
Do you remember them? Brilliant. Little fizzy peaches. Now they
do the watermelons and I used to have them as well. I love them now.
Alex Legouix (12:05):
So you still have a sweet tooth now?
Olly Murs (12:06):
Oh my god, so bad. I'm fasting. Hence, why I
can't even open them sweets. I'm desperate to. Oh my
God, you're going to come... I hate these things.
Alex Legouix (12:19):
Flipping Nora.
Olly Murs (12:24):
Oh my lord.
Alex Legouix (12:24):
So we're about to go through one of those width restrictions, with the killers.
Olly Murs (12:25):
Every time I come this way I've always curbed my wheels.
Alex Legouix (12:28):
And I'm driving an almighty Continental.
Olly Murs (12:31):
What are they? 20 inch wheels and we are now
about to go through. Oh, my Lord. No. Oh, god, Alex.
Alex Legouix (12:36):
The pressure.
Olly Murs (12:36):
Alex, I'm scared. Oh, please. That noise. Are you nervous?
Alex Legouix (12:46):
I'm getting quite hot.
Olly Murs (12:48):
Oh no.
Alex Legouix (12:49):
I got this.
Olly Murs (12:51):
Left, left, left. Go left, go left, go left. Oh my God, Alex.
Yes. Smashed that. Oh my god, you nailed that.
Alex Legouix (13:01):
So we're on our way to Braintree next. What's important
about Braintree?
Olly Murs (13:12):
Braintree was a massive part of my life because the
best parts of my youth was spent here. So from
the age of about 12 to about 19. Learned to have girlfriends
and tried alcohol for the first time and all them
mad things you do as a kid growing up.
Alex Legouix (13:27):
Didn't you love drama at school?
Olly Murs (13:30):
Loved it.
Alex Legouix (13:30):
What stopped you going down that route?
Olly Murs (13:32):
So Witham is where I grew up. Witham Is where
I went to primary school and then we went to
high school, Notley High. Now we went there because my
mum and dad decided to send me and my brother there.
One of the reasons was that they want us to
have friends in different places, different towns, which was quite
cool. So we did, and the subjects that I excelled
(13:53):
in during school was English language, which was talking, obviously,
sport, and I also absolutely loved performing arts. I absolutely
loved it. I loved drama, I loved acting. And my drama
teacher, David Lee Allen, absolutely loved me and was like, "
(14:13):
Olly, we're going to do this. You should do this,
you should do this when you do this play..." Now
for my GCSEs, I had to pick the subjects I wanted
and I think they did that now, but it's more
of a broader choice. Back then it was like, " Unfortunately
Olly, you can't do performing arts because it's on the
same side as sport. You're going to have to pick between that
and that." And I was like, " What? Pick between sport?
(14:35):
They're my two favorite subjects." So I ended up picking sport
and I never forget, David Lee Allen collaring me in the
corridor just going, " Olly, what have you done? You're built to
do it, you should do it." And I was like, "
No, sorry, mate. Football's my thing. I want to do
sport." I don't think he ever spoke to me after that. I think he was
genuinely gutted. And also remember back then it was like
(14:59):
frowned upon in my mates.
Alex Legouix (15:01):
100%.
Olly Murs (15:02):
My mates, if I had said to my mates at the time, "
Lads, I'm doing performing arts over sport," they'd be like, "
Are you what?" And that was just the way it was
back then.
Alex Legouix (15:12):
Yeah, so tragic.
Olly Murs (15:12):
I was just very afraid of making that decision. I
was like, " Oh my god, my mates might not like me
and they might think this and might think that and I don't want to
do that." And that's just the way it was back
then. But I genuinely believed I was going to have
a career in sport, whether it was professional sport or whether
I was going to be a personal trainer, which is
what I ended up studying in the end at college.
(15:33):
But that was my thought process. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (15:35):
So you didn't end up doing drama but you ended
up becoming an enormous pop star, which then also led
you for a little bit at least to end up co-
owning Coggeshall.
Olly Murs (15:47):
I love when people try to announce it.
Alex Legouix (15:49):
Coggeshall.
Olly Murs (15:49):
Coggeshall.
Alex Legouix (15:49):
Coggeshall Town.
Olly Murs (15:51):
So Coggeshall for me or Coggeshall was a passion project.
I was going through a bit of a crazy period in my life for a
bit of a while where I'd just lost a sense of
reality of not where I come from, because I've always
been quite grounded, but I just needed something away from
music, something away from TV, something away from the industry
(16:14):
that I could just be myself and be Olly. So
Coggeshall came along, my uncle was the manager there and
he's friend was the chairman, co- owner, and he just said, "
Do you want to come over and sponsor the team?"
And I said, "Yeah, yeah." And he said, " Look, if you
ever want to come and play some games, get yourself
fit for Soccer Aid or something, come and play." So I did. I
started doing that. Then one thing led to another and
(16:37):
then I ended up becoming the director of the club.
And it was honestly seven years of honestly some of the
most amazing memories of my life. I had such a
good time and the lads that were there treated me
like one of their own. I walk in the dressing
room and I was just one of the boys and we
had such a laugh. So many crazy things happened. Stuff that
(16:57):
you can't talk about in the papers, do you know
what I mean? And in the end, obviously we parted
ways and it was great and it worked out at
the right time really because I ended up meeting Amelia
anyway and we've now obviously got married and had a baby
and Coggeshall filled the gap for a period of my
life where I really needed it.
Alex Legouix (17:16):
Yeah, that's really interesting. Can I also say that Coggeshall,
Coggeshall is really pretty.
Olly Murs (17:22):
It's beautiful. It's absolutely-
Alex Legouix (17:23):
What a gorgeous village and (inaudible) -
Olly Murs (17:25):
Really old school, very Anglo- Saxon vibes.
Alex Legouix (17:28):
Anglo-Saxon. So pretty, isn't it?
Olly Murs (17:30):
Yeah, beautiful area. And we had a great football team
for many, many years. It's actually just here on the left. This is
actually it now. This is Coggeshall Town here. We were
called the Seed Growers.
Alex Legouix (17:41):
All still looks quite old school.
Olly Murs (17:43):
Yeah, it's an old place, but there's a massive clubhouse
that I was heavily involved in to build something of
a social club there. You can't see it. It's right
in the back there. But just a really great place
and good memories for a short time in my life. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (17:56):
Yeah. Nice.
Olly Murs (17:57):
I believe everything happens for a reason. Everything I've done
in my life, there's a link to it. My first
car was a Fiat Cinquecento.
Alex Legouix (18:05):
Cinquecento. Oh, I love them.
Olly Murs (18:08):
Where did I buy that from? AutoTrader.
Alex Legouix (18:11):
No.
Olly Murs (18:12):
Yes, I saw it advertised in the AutoTrader, then I went
and saw it.
Alex Legouix (18:15):
Amazing.
Olly Murs (18:15):
So I know he sounds ridiculous, but there's so many
things that linked in.
Alex Legouix (18:19):
Yeah, the serendipity.
Olly Murs (18:19):
So many things that linked in. I went and signed for Coggeshall Town that end
up being the Seed Growers and I worked for the
seed company that are in Coggeshall called King Seeds.
Alex Legouix (18:33):
Today we're driving a brand new Bentley Continental GT. And
very nice too, isn't it? What do you think?
Olly Murs (18:40):
Incredible. Love everything about it.
Alex Legouix (18:42):
Did you know that a very special edition Bentley was made
to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee and used to transport the
late Queen Elizabeth to her first cabinet meeting with David
Cameron and that was listed on AutoTrader for 200 grand.
Olly Murs (18:57):
Joking Me.
Alex Legouix (18:58):
I know, right?
Olly Murs (18:59):
Wow. That is a very special Bentley.
Alex Legouix (19:01):
And you have a star- studded story about your first
Bentley, don't you?
Olly Murs (19:06):
I do. I actually remember I pre- ordered it and my
first ever Bentley and obviously my first ever nice car. I was
on tour with One Direction touring across America and I
just remember counting down the weeks and days to get
home to drive my first ever Bentley. A bit of a bougie thing
to talk about, like pop starry thing. It was just one of my first
things I ever purchased when I come off the show. I thought
(19:27):
I've got to get a nice car and I got a Bentley.
Alex Legouix (19:28):
Very nice. Well, you can find thousands of new cars like
this one on AutoTrader where they are ready and available
to drive away today. Should we get on with the show?
Olly Murs (19:37):
Let's do it.
Alex Legouix (19:47):
What age did you start driving?
Olly Murs (19:49):
I was actually a late burner. I was 21.
Alex Legouix (19:51):
What? Why?
Olly Murs (19:52):
Because I had everything on my doorstep. I was quite lazy
really? And I'd really good friends. They used to all drive
me around everywhere and I used to like getting public transport
so I used to jump on the bus to college and then
I broke up with my ex, my first girlfriend and
I just was like, you know what, it's time for
me to pass my driving test, and I did at the age of 21.
Alex Legouix (20:11):
And then your first car was the Cinquecento, was it?
Olly Murs (20:13):
Fiat, yeah. And I used to always say to any
girl that I was dating, they'd be like, " What car do
you drive?" And I'd just to go, " Well all I'm going
to say is it's Ferrari red." Anyone that's listening, if
you don't know what a Fiat Cinquecento is, cast your minds back to
Inbetweeners, the yellow car that Simon used to drive, that
is my car. And you know what? I had it
before them and everyone used to cane me for it and
(20:36):
I used to love it. I had infinity speakers in
the back, I had a bow system in the front,
it was popping off. I had music blaring. I used
to pick all my mates up on nights out. I
never used to drink. So it was perfect. I was
like Murs' taxi.
Alex Legouix (20:50):
Murs' taxi.
Olly Murs (20:50):
So was literally taking all my drunken friends around Essex.
It was brilliant.
Alex Legouix (20:56):
Tell me more about college life.
Olly Murs (20:57):
§ College life was crazy but good. I left school
with not very good grades and I ended up trying
to get into science and sport. Luckily the college did
this really basic course which was like to run a
sports center. We had a reception desk, we had the
sports hall, we had the locker rooms, we had a
(21:18):
diary, we had to book everyone in for their classes.
We had disabled children come in, so we would take
the classes for them. It weren't really going to school
or college, it was actually going to work. We just
didn't get paid for it. And then what was a
bonus was that all the beauticians would come in. So that
was the perk. You know what I mean? But for me, I learned
(21:40):
so much. I ended up working in fitness first for
a while on a Friday. But it was, yeah, I had a good
time at college. Good fun. Yeah, so you see the
roundabout coming up. Braintree College is on your right- hand
side there. Boom. God, I haven't been here in years. I haven't been in the
college. It's actually bringing back memories now. There's my college. Yeah.
Alex Legouix (22:00):
Look, Braintree.
Olly Murs (22:02):
It's called Braintree Campus now. Oh, they were good times,
Braintree College. But what I used to love was the com
room area where everyone would hang out. We'd have a
jukebox and music and used to just be able to play whatever
you wanted. And I always loved going in because there'd always
be these lads that were like skater boy kind of vibes
(22:24):
and they'd all play Limp Bizkit and Korn and System
of a Down and there'd be these guys there with their
long hair and their grubby trainers and they're smoking. Then
I would just go straight in there, stick two or
three quid in this machine and it would just be
boy band after boy band after boy band. Like Westlife,
(22:45):
Blue, Take That. I was like, I'm just going to
annoy you guys. So that was kind of thing I would do
like to prank people.
Alex Legouix (22:52):
Imagine now you'd be in there putting on Olly Murs.
Olly Murs (22:55):
It is something that you wonder if people at Braintree
College know that I went there, because when I was-
Alex Legouix (23:02):
Probably. (inaudible) .
Olly Murs (23:03):
When I was growing up, if someone I knew had made it
or become a pop star or singer, I did three years-
Alex Legouix (23:08):
There's probably pictures of you all in every hallway.
Olly Murs (23:11):
I mean, don't get me excited, Alex. I really hope
they do.
Alex Legouix (23:14):
They probably get down on their knees every day and
pray to you.
Olly Murs (23:17):
There's a shrine room. If you want to go and see Olly
Murs, here's a shrine. This is a room for you to just admire.
Right. Where are we off to now, Alex?
Alex Legouix (23:30):
Well, I want to know how you-
Olly Murs (23:32):
(inaudible) is the story of my life. The story of my life.
Alex Legouix (23:35):
Your old secondary school.
Olly Murs (23:36):
Yeah, left here. This left here. Yeah. God, I haven't
been down these road in years. Oh, it gets me
excited. This is where we would all walk.
Alex Legouix (23:49):
Doesn't sound like you have any negative gripes from school or-
Olly Murs (23:53):
Don't get me wrong, it weren't perfect. There was some
difficult moments. Any kid going through school, there's loads of
difficult moments. Had some difficult days like I mean, you're
going through that whole puberty stage. It was a crazy time, but
I loved it. But yeah, this is my old school
right there.
Alex Legouix (24:10):
Oh, here.
Olly Murs (24:10):
I'm getting more nervous us pulling into this school more
than I would be at the O2 in front of 25, 000 people.
Alex Legouix (24:19):
What?
Olly Murs (24:19):
This is weird. This is mad.
Alex Legouix (24:20):
Okay, so there's a big blue (inaudible) -
Olly Murs (24:22):
Yeah. On the left-hand side as you walk into Notley High School.
This is completely new. I haven't seen that before. The
sports center is still the same. That's still the same.
Alex Legouix (24:31):
So straight ahead of us is a light blue and dark blue building.
Olly Murs (24:35):
Yep, this is all the same. It used to be red and black. That's the
student entrance. But now all these fences were never here.
This whole Braintree six form was a massive playground. That's
all been taken over now by Braintree Theater and six form.
Alex Legouix (24:47):
Interesting that they've obviously really pushed the theater side, isn't it?
Olly Murs (24:51):
Well obviously they create superstars here in Notley High School.
Alex Legouix (24:53):
That's a thing. And again, if I look through there, I can
see an Olly shrine.
Olly Murs (24:57):
Yeah, no you can't. But no, I mean this is my school. Yeah. Notley High.
I've got nothing but love for the people and the
staff, the teachers. Now at the end of the year,
I don't know if they still do it now, kids,
they probably do it on social media or something different,
but all my teachers had to write something about me in
(25:19):
my book and they'd sign it. So I bought this
book from Woolworth's and I just got everyone to write like
my friends and my school teachers. Now get this. I was 16 when I
left school and I honestly, no joke, I wish I had it with
here with me now, every single teacher or friend all said, "
We're going to miss hearing you singing down the corridors.
(25:40):
We can't wait to see you on TV. We wish you all
the best in the future."
Alex Legouix (25:44):
You had that star appeal.
Olly Murs (25:45):
I was like, "What?" The teacher would be like, "All you used to do was
sing in the classroom, going to miss that and dancing
away." And I'm like, these are things that I was so
oblivious to.
Alex Legouix (25:56):
But you had the X Factor, so it was-
Olly Murs (25:58):
Actually there must have been something there because obviously I
ended up going into it, but at that precise moment in
my life at 16, 17, I was not thinking about being
a pop star.
Alex Legouix (26:11):
So we're heading now back to Witham.
Olly Murs (26:12):
Back to Witham. Okay, so now we're going through the Notley's. So Notley
High on the way to Notley, you go through Black
Notley and then you go through White Notley.
Alex Legouix (26:24):
Is that where you had your panic attack?
Olly Murs (26:27):
Yeah. Now give you a bit of context to it. I
did X Factor. Presented the show from 2015 for one
season with Caroline, God rest her soul. And it was
probably one of the most craziest, incredible things I've done.
But wow, the scrutiny, the pressure on my shoulders to
(26:49):
present the biggest TV show in the country was crazy,
right? Now, when I finished that, I needed a break.
I was exhausted mentally and physically. I had all sorts
going on health- wise. I think I ended up getting
glandular fever or something. I was gone and I broke
up with my ex at the time. So it was
quite a lot going on for me personally.
Alex Legouix (27:10):
Lot going on, yeah.
Olly Murs (27:10):
So I just needed a break. Wrote a new album,
everything was good. And then I'm driving down the road
and there'd been a few conversations about me doing The
Voice. Had a few interviews about it. And then I
remember driving back from Braintree to Witham. My mate, Mace,
was in the car and got a phone call from
my manager saying that, " Olly, you've got the job. They
want you. You're starting on The Voice with Will. I.
(27:32):
Am, Jennifer Hudson, Sir Tom Jones, this is so exciting.
This is incredible." And I looked around to my mate, Mace, and
he's going, " Oh my God, yes." And I was just like, " Yeah." Inside of me, my heart
was going... I was like, "What have I just done? What have I just done? What have I just done? I can't
(27:54):
do it. I can't do it. I can't do it." I was like, this
is the worst news that could have ever happened to
me. And I had a massive panic attack over it. Now
don't get me wrong, what I went through was nothing compared to what other
people go through, but mentally at the time it freaked
me out going back on TV again. Was I going to
make a mistake? Were the papers going to slag me
off? People were going to say I was useless, because that's all I
(28:15):
got when I did X Factor was you're useless, you're
not good, you're not a great presenter, you're not this,
you're not that. And I just thought like, oh my God, I'm just going back
into the world that I was in previously where I just got
so much hate. And don't be wrong, there was loads
of positives too, but I just got loads of hate
and I was just like, " I'm not sure I can
do it." So then that's when, and I've openly spoke
(28:37):
about this before, but I openly went and saw a
therapist and had some meetings with this lovely lady. Now I haven't
been back since, but I did about two or three
sit downs. Oh my God, it helped me so much.
And also what helped me so much was getting back
in the firing line again. One of the things I
learned was how to (inaudible) , sort of mentalize that and understand
(28:58):
how I was feeling. And she gave me these techniques
on how to deal with that other voice in your
head that's like telling you you can't do this, run
away. There's the exit, don't go there. You're happy in
life. Everything's great. Why do it? And when that extra
voice overpowers the other voice in my head that's like
fearless and don't care, let's do this, that's when it
(29:18):
got scary for me. But then when I figured it
out, that's what changed everything. And I ended up doing
the voice and I sat in the red chair and
I was petrified the first day and I was like, do you know what?
You have to do this. You need to jump back
in the saddle. You need to just get on with
it and what will be will be. You're great at
what you do. You're really good on TV, you've got
(29:40):
it, you've got this, Olly, you've got this. Do what
you do best. Entertain people, have some fun, be cheeky
and just have a good time. And I did. And
it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I
loved it. I did it for seven years. Yeah, it was what I needed. Brilliant.
Alex Legouix (29:55):
Wow.
Olly Murs (29:56):
So listen, so many other people go through much more
serious mental health issues and I've had panic attacks and
it's all relative to each person, isn't it? And there's
been loads of other things that have happened in my life, but that was
the first time in my life I ever was like, why am I
not happy in this moment? Why am I scared? Why
am I worried? Why am I fearing? But I think
(30:16):
when you go and see someone and you talk to
someone you don't know, but basically you decompress them thoughts
and you put them out there to universe, you talk
about it and then that person analyzes it, understands it,
talks to you on a level and you're like, " Wow,
I never looked at it like that before. I'm only
looking at it in one instinct of petrified. I hated
it. I don't want to do that, I don't want to do this." Then when you get
(30:38):
the other side of it, the other perspective, you're like,
oh maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. Or
maybe there is ways of dealing with this and it was.
Alex Legouix (30:44):
Good for you for breaking the silence.
Olly Murs (30:47):
Yeah, I recommend it to anyone. I don't like to drum
it down people's throats about mental health and go, I've
struggled too, like join the trend. Do you know what I mean?
I wanted to talk about it, because I felt that
there's men out there that wouldn't talk about it. And
if I could show people that I'm this cheeky fun
guy you see on TV that almost has a carefree
lifestyle, doesn't really care about things, I do. I do
(31:09):
care about things and I do struggle sometimes. I've had some really tough
times in my life, but if I can help one person
in this interview or in any interview I do when
I do talk about it that they go, "Do you know what?
Something at work's really triggered me recently, something that I'm
really struggling with or I've got offered a new job
and I didn't want to do it." That's what it
comes down to. Forget it was The Voice, forget who
(31:29):
I am.
Alex Legouix (31:30):
Yeah, exactly.
Olly Murs (31:31):
Forget me and who I am. If this was just
me talking to a friend down the pub, " Oh my
god, I've just been off this new job, it's paying
this much, it's going to be incredible, but I actually
don't want to do it now." " But why?" " I'm scared." " Why are
you scared?" Because I don't know, I'm not going to be good
enough." What do you mean you not going to be good enough? You're
brilliant at it. That's what you've been doing all your
(31:51):
life." If your friend or your family member or someone
around you can't help you understand that, go and see
someone, because I tell you what, it massively helped me. Fear of the unknown
scares so many people. Sometimes you've got to leap yourself
into it feet first and just embrace it. When you
do, oh my god, the reward's incredible.
Alex Legouix (32:08):
That's where you do the most growing.
Olly Murs (32:10):
Exactly, exactly. Yeah. And that is exactly what happened to me. Love how
we're driving around in Essex, my local town.
Alex Legouix (32:24):
In a Bentley.
Olly Murs (32:24):
In a Bentley and they're all like, " That's definitely Olly Murs." They
wouldn't be thinking this was anyone else. They'd be like, "Oh my god,
state of this guy thinks he's big time Charlie." This
is what I try not to do when I drive
around here.
Alex Legouix (32:39):
Did you work in Witham?
Olly Murs (32:41):
Yep. Worked in various places. My best job I had
was as a recruitment consultant. I worked for Prime Appointments.
Alex Legouix (32:48):
What do they do?
Olly Murs (32:49):
So they specialize in getting people jobs. So whether that
be in office or industrial jobs.
Alex Legouix (32:54):
But through all this time then were you still pub singing?
Olly Murs (32:59):
Yeah, so I actually sung at one of their Christmas parties.
Alex Legouix (33:02):
Oh, right?
Olly Murs (33:02):
I was in a band at the time called the Small Town
Blaggers, which was a name that I come up with
just because I loved the Livitines.
Alex Legouix (33:08):
Yes.
Olly Murs (33:09):
And there was a song called the Small Town Blaggers
and I really liked the title name. So I nicked it and I
got paid the night of our Christmas party, which was
sick, but then it got all the chance for the
office to see me perform and they thought I was
brilliant. They loved it.
Alex Legouix (33:21):
Wow.
Olly Murs (33:23):
But I worked in Kitchens Direct as well, which was
great. That was my first proper job really at the
age of 16, selling kitchens for three years. So anyway,
now we're coming up Witham High Street. I love it.
In the film, Wizard of Oz, Dorothy said it perfectly, "
There is no place like home." And I promise you
now I've traveled the world, I've been to some incredible places, but
(33:45):
just something about being in Witham and it wouldn't be
for everyone. Maybe I went and lived in your town,
it wouldn't be for me. There's something about Witham that
draws me back every time. I love it. I absolutely love it.
Alex Legouix (33:57):
This is a nice looking high street.
Olly Murs (33:59):
That's where Prime Appointments used to be.
Alex Legouix (34:02):
They have got such lovely buildings.
Olly Murs (34:02):
Prime Appointments used to be there and we were right next door to Wetherspoon, so it was
great. And that's where Kitchens Direct was upstairs. See where
all their windows are open? That's where it used to
be, Kitchens Direct. Yeah. I wasn't driving, but everyone would
put their cars in here and we'd all just congregate
outside waiting for our shift to start. Used to do 10
till 1:00, 2
(34:22):
our rota.
Alex Legouix (34:23):
But a far cry from your career in TV.
Olly Murs (34:26):
Crazy. Well, just lucky.
Alex Legouix (34:28):
What age were you then when you made that choice?
Olly Murs (34:31):
Well, I was working in Prime Appointments, decided to go
traveling. So I went to Australia for three months, 2008.
And it was the most amazing experience. It changed my
life. It gave me a chance to be independent and
be away from my parents and to get some real
life skills and I just decided to come back and
(34:52):
do X Factor and I took a whim. I did
it a couple of times before that and failed. And I thought,
right, you know what, I'll do it this time and
see what happens. So I did it and it changed
my life. Yeah, I got to the final and then the rest
was history really.
Alex Legouix (35:07):
Was it amazing?
Olly Murs (35:08):
X Factor? People always say, " I'd love to go back
to school again and live them school years." Mine would
be X Factor again. I would do that again. If
Marty McFly was here now, and Doc, and they said-
Alex Legouix (35:20):
What do you think that you like the most (inaudible) -
Olly Murs (35:20):
In their DeLorean and then said to me, " Murs, we
can go back in time." I'd be like, " Right. Take
me back to X Factor 2009."
Alex Legouix (35:28):
What did you like most about it?
Olly Murs (35:30):
I just loved the thrill of it. I was on the
cusp of changing my life and on the cusp of
something really special and something unique that no one in
Witham or anyone in my life, my family or my friends
had ever experienced before. It was something extraordinary. A guy
from Essex that lived on a council estate that you've
just seen today that ends up being on the biggest
(35:51):
TV show in the country. It was just that thrill
and that excitement that I was getting of like, oh my
God, my life is changing in front of my eyes
and I don't really know-
Alex Legouix (36:00):
That's so good that you were aware of it at the time.
Olly Murs (36:00):
I just couldn't believe it. I just was like, wow. And
then every week it just got more and more enjoyable,
more and more exciting, more and more like, oh my
God, I might even get a record deal. I might
even have an album. And then the reality of the
show finishing and then all of a sudden everywhere I went
people knew who I was. It was crazy. And then there's
(36:21):
days and months where sometimes I look back on that
experience of X Factor and go, what if that didn't
happen? And sometimes there's part of me that goes when
I'm out with Amelia and the last thing I want
to do is be noticed. Or if I'm out with
Maddie now I'm walking her and people go, " Olly, can I get a photo?" Don't get me
wrong, I love getting people asking me and there'll be
(36:43):
a day when no one asks me and I'll be
fuming. Why is people not recognizing me? And someone always
said to me, " You'll be annoyed when people stop asking,
because you'll know then your career's over." And I was
like, "Do you know what? You're not far wrong." So I embrace it.
But that experience, that thrill, it was a roller coaster
of emotions. I'll never, ever, ever get close to that
experience ever again. And I loved it. And you've just
(37:05):
secretly lured me in to telling you about my life
and now are actually at my old house. So this
is where my mum and dad moved us to from
Pitt Avenue to Carraways. I have not been back here
since my mum and dad moved out.
Alex Legouix (37:19):
No way.
Olly Murs (37:20):
I wasn't even here on the day they moved out
and I just wanted to remember the house as it was
because it was the big, big part of our lives
that time.
Alex Legouix (37:28):
Well this looks like a much newer-
Olly Murs (37:29):
Well, this is more modern, it's a bit more modern. These houses got
built in the late '90s, early 2000s. So this whole
area was like, " Oh my God, we're living in a
brand new house." Oh god, someone there. Oh, don't pull in.
Alex Legouix (37:44):
How does it feel looking at it?
Olly Murs (37:46):
Oh my god. It feels weird. Yeah, it's amazing. It's a beautiful house.
Alex Legouix (37:48):
Weird good?
Olly Murs (37:50):
Yeah, great memories before X Factor. I had amazing Christmases
there. When I come back off X Factor, this whole
street, all people came to greet me home. And then
even my first Christmas here was crazy. People knocking on the door on Christmas
day to get photos with me and stuff. But just
after that every Christmas was just like, I'm coming home.
I don't think my family and my sister and everyone
(38:12):
else could appreciate that from my perspective. My mum and
dad needed to move and they found another house and
they needed to change their life, which is fine. Everyone
needs a different change, don't they, something new. But for
me it was my little safe haven, my little pocket
of the past. And then when that went it was
like, oh man, that was kind of it then. That
(38:33):
was the end of my childhood.
Alex Legouix (38:36):
Yeah, you look quite emotional telling-
Olly Murs (38:38):
Yeah, I am. Yeah, because it was, it really hurt
me. I was gutted. But life moves on. You've changed, don't
you? Everyone moves and me and Amelia have just left a home
that we've been living in for five years. So you
just end up changing it, it is what it is.
Alex Legouix (39:01):
And we're back here where it all began.
Olly Murs (39:04):
Back to Witham.
Alex Legouix (39:05):
Witham Town Football Club and there's Mark.
Olly Murs (39:08):
Back where it started.
Alex Legouix (39:09):
Yeah. So what is the future for Olly Murs?
Olly Murs (39:12):
Honestly, it's going to sound so cheesy, but I just want
to be the best husband and the best dad. Whatever
else comes with that, with work, amazing. I embrace it.
But I'm now at a point in my life where I'm
now a dad and I'm a husband and I've got
beautiful wife and kids. I just want to provide for
them, give them the best life, be present. And I've
(39:33):
realized even more than ever, particularly in the last couple
of months having Maddie that me and Amelia are just
a great team. We're great together. And having a baby,
particularly like you've got to work together. And we're just such
an incredible team. We're just brilliant and I love her
so much. Amelia and the baby are literally the priority
of my life.
Alex Legouix (39:53):
How will your career evolve do you think now?
Olly Murs (39:56):
Don't know. I've got no fear of the unknown. I've
got amazing music career. I'll always do that. Is there
other opportunities? 100%. Life's great, man. And I know it's been difficult
for everyone. Life's crazy. So much happening in the world,
politics, wars. If you can, just try and live in
the present with the people around you that you love, they're the
(40:18):
most important people and just try and be there for
them. That's what I'd say.
Alex Legouix (40:23):
Olly, I've loved this present moment.
Olly Murs (40:25):
It has been amazing. Thanks, Alex.
Alex Legouix (40:27):
Thank you for your honesty, your humor.
Olly Murs (40:29):
Sorry about that.
Alex Legouix (40:29):
Thank you for the snacks that you're going to leave me.
Olly Murs (40:31):
Oh no, you-
Alex Legouix (40:32):
Because you're on a fast.
Olly Murs (40:33):
I could take one. Maybe I could take the bananas.
Thank you for taking me on this journey.
Alex Legouix (40:39):
Thanks, buddy.
Olly Murs (40:40):
All right.
Alex Legouix (40:41):
Right. Bye.
Olly Murs (40:42):
Bye. If you leave me now. You take away the
biggest part of me.
Alex Legouix (40:53):
That was an absolute joy. Olly's so down to earth,
isn't he? And absolutely hilarious. I hope you enjoyed that
as much as I did. Show On The Road is a
Fresh Air Production for AutoTrader. If you think others will
enjoy this episode too, please help us spread the word.
Leave a quick rating in your podcast app and a
(41:14):
nice little comment. It really helps. You can also subscribe
to our YouTube channel where there's exclusive footage of this
and all the drives we're doing this series. It sounds
like Olly's had a lot of car adventures, doesn't it? Well, choosing
the vehicle you're going to start your next story in
couldn't be easier on AutoTrader. With thousands of brand new
(41:35):
cars available and ready to drive away, we've even got
expert reviews and videos to help you find the perfect
fit. Find your next car and start your next story on the
AutoTrader app or at AutoTrader. co. uk. In our next episode,
we'll be guided around the neighborhood of a man who's single-
handedly making science one of the coolest things you could
(41:58):
be into.
Speaker 5 (41:59):
A scientist can look like anyone really and truly. And
that's one of the reasons why I deliver my content how
I do. Because no matter which industry you work in,
I'm trying to encourage people to be themselves.
Alex Legouix (42:12):
Until then, I'm Alex Legouix. Bye for now.
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The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.