James Blunt has given a humorous insight into his wife’s reaction following his vow to legally change his name if his new album tops the charts.
The 50-year-old singer had previously promised to change his name to “Blunty McBluntface” if the re-release of his 2004 debut album, Back To Bedlam, reached number one on Friday, October 18.
Now, with just hours left before his fate is revealed at 6pm, it seems he’s having second thoughts. He shared a playful video imagining the moment he’d have to tell his wife that she is now Mrs McBluntface.
In the video, posted to Instagram on Thursday, the You’re Beautiful hitmaker is seen calling his wife to share the “great news” that his record had hit top spot.
He then drops the clanger that his agreed name change will extend to her and their two sons, who collectively will be known as the McBluntfaces.
Attempting to reassure her, he tells her that McBluntface “has a great ring to it”, and tries to claim it harks back to her “Scottish roots”.
She’s clearly not having any of it as he can then be heard imploring: “Oh honey, don't cry”.
His sons are equally unimpressed and seemingly have reservations about the reaction of their school friends, with James telling them: “No you'll be fine at school they won't bully you for that!”
He then jokily adds: “Your previous name rhymed with c***!”
Despite being receiving an NME Award for Worst Album, Blunt’s 2004 released Back To Bedlam is the biggest selling album of all time by a British male solo artist and spent 10 weeks at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart.
He threw down the gauntlet last month when he announced live on The Chris Moyles Radio Show on Radio X, his intention to change his name by deed poll if the reissue to mark the 20th anniversary went to number one again.
Insisting to the host that it was “not an act of desperation”, he said: “The label are going to launch a campaign to get it back to number one after 20 years. How do you do that? How do you get it back to number one at 20 years’ old? So, what they’ve made me sign up to do is if it reaches number one, I have signed up to changing my name to whatever the public want – they can change my name.
“And this is not just an act of desperation, it’s a genuine thing,” he continued. “I swear on my life and the life of my one fan – Brian from Glasgow – I will change my name should it hit number one.”
He then clarified to the astounded radio host: “To whatever the public want – and of course the public are going to kind, they’re not going to go for anything that rhymes with Blunt are they?”
Blunt then put forward the suggestions of “James cucking funt” and “Blunty McBluntface”.
Eventually, “Blunty McBluntface” won out, so the question is will it stick?
