He rose to fame after winning The X Factor in 2009, capturing the heart of the nation. Since then he’s triumphed at television show Popstar to Operastar, and appeared in a whole host of musicals. Freetime catches up with Joe McElderry ahead of his biggest tour to date.

How is the tour going so far? Any stand-out moments?

The tour has been incredible. We have had a few fun moments and also a fire alarm went off mid show at one performance and we had to evacuate the building. That was quite funny!

This tour is your largest yet, what are you looking forward to most?

I think getting to visit different venues changes the performance a lot as you have a different feel and sound in each venue. Also getting to meet new fans and people who sometimes are only seeing one of my shows for the first time, that is exciting for me as I feel like I have to put on the best show to make sure they want to come back again. I enjoy the challenge.

What can fans expect from the new tour in terms of material?

This tour is a very diverse show with music from all of my four albums, so we have pop and classical, there is also some new material too. I try to make the show very accessible, so no matter what you have come to see it goes right across my different music styles.

Will you be spending much time in Hayes – anything you have planned for while you are here?

I probably won’t have a lot of time unfortunately, the most I see in these cities we have been visiting is the bus, the stage and the dressing room! I do try and have a quick look around the places if I get a chance.

You are the only X Factor winner to release four albums and have won the heart of the nation - why do you think this is? What is your X Factor?

I think The X Factor is an amazing platform and all I have ever done after the show is worked hard and always strived to progress and try new things. I feel proud that I have released four albums as that is sometimes rare in the music industry! But I want to now aim for ten albums, ha ha!

How do you feel you have developed as an artist since winning The X Factor at 18 in 2009?

I think most of all I have just matured massively and I understand the business a lot more than I did then and with that I think I have relaxed a lot more and can make good decisions about the music and my performances.

Have you any songs that you particularly enjoy performing on tour – ones that get a special response form audiences?

There are lots of songs in the show, but Nessun Dorma always has a great reaction from the audience, I think it’s a very emotional song and you can see that sweeping through the audience.

What else do you have in the pipeline for this year?

Hopefully after the tour I will have a bit of time to do some more writing and recording and maybe start the ball rolling with an album, but we have a lot more live dates in the autumn all the way up to Christmas.

Joe McEdlerry is at The Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, June 26.

Details: becktheatre.org.uk, 020 8561 8371