Determination and a fighting spirit have taken Russell Watson from working as a bolt-cutter on a Salford factory floor to becoming one of the world’s best- loved classical singers.
The 56-year-old star, who appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2020, has performed for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, and for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace. He is also an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, which was set up by King Charles in 1976.
But at the height of his success in 2006, Russell – who has been married to his second wife, Louise, since 2015 – was diagnosed with a brain tumour and had to undergo emergency surgery.
Although he recovered and continued to perform, a second tumour was found a year later, and he cancelled several concerts to go through more surgery and gruelling radiotherapy treatment.
Thankfully, dad-of-two Russell – who shares daughters Rebecca, now 28, and Hannah, 22, with his first wife, Helen – was able to return to performing. He also used his platform to raise awareness for other people affected by brain tumours.
Here, Russell reveals how moving to a beautiful 15-acre farm in Cheshire – complete with horses and alpacas – has brought his family closer, how his wife helped him overcome depression, and why the Royal Family is such a big influence…
Hi, Russell! How has moving to the countryside changed your life?
When I first saw the house, I immediately knew I had to live there. All I could see was rolling hills, sheep and horses in the fields. It was stunning. My wife Louise is an equestrian, so everything seemed to fit. Living here has turned into something very positive and we’re now buying and selling horses. Living on a farm has brought me peace and a fresh outlook on life – and, in a way, moving here has brought our family closer. It’s changed our life for the better.
You’ve battled two brain tumours. Did going through something so life-changing strengthen your relationship with your family?
Yes, it fundamentally changed everything. Even today, I will walk out onto the farm in the morning and think, how on earth did I get here, from the back streets of Salford? I feel incredibly grateful for how I survived everything to still be here today. That feeling is compounded by what I went through with my illness. When I first got the news of my tumour I just thought, “Well, I’ve had it. That’s it, it’s all over.” All I could think about was how my wife and daughters would manage without me.
How did you explain what was happening to your daughters?
My girls were quite young at the time. Hannah was six and Rebecca was 12, so Rebecca understood a bit more about the seriousness of it all. Hannah just said, “But you won’t die, Daddy, will you?” Honestly, they were incredible and it’s something that will stay with me forever. I wouldn’t have made it through without them. My bond with my children was intensified. They saw me go from a 6ft lump to a broken man. So they became my protectors. Whenever we went out and people approached me, the kids would move in straight away and say, “What do you want with my dad?”
Do you still have to have regular health checks to ensure everything is clear?
I still have to take specific medication every day, because my body doesn’t naturally produce the hormones, so I have to inject them. Initially, it was a minefield, because I was taking this cocktail of drugs to stay alive. It used to get me down. I’d get very depressed. I’d go to bed at night, but not sleep – I’d panic because I thought I’d die if I fell asleep. Nowadays, I feel as if each new day is a gift. That’s why I try not to look back any more. But it was Louise who got me through my depression. She was my rock and helped me through the dark times. Russell Grant, who is a friend of mine, recently had the same operation. Initially, he phoned me up and said he wasn’t going to go through with it. I think he was scared. I said to him, “Russell, you must do this. Once you have, I promise you will feel so much better.” Thankfully, in the end, he took my advice and now he’s on the mend.
When Queen Elizabeth died last September, you wrote a moving tribute to her on social media. What was it like singing for her and meeting her?
I was very fortunate to perform for Her Majesty and the Duke, and I was alsoan ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Fellowship. The Queen was a great influence on me growing up – wherever she went, people respected her, and she did so much for the country and the world. So, as a kid, my dream was to meet the Queen. When I did, years later, it was one of my career highlights. I will always remember her smile.
In 2020, you were a contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! What made you do it?
I thought I was going to be in the Australian sunshine – they didn’t tell me it would be in a castle in Wales! I was gutted, but I did enjoy it, because now I get a lot of younger people coming up to me saying, “Are you who I think you are?” But they still say, “By the way, my grandma loves you!”
Would you do it again?
No. I’m over it now.
You’re off on tour this month. Is performing your happy place?
Definitely. Singing live is so uplifting. It was how I started, singing in working men’s clubs in Salford all those years ago. I feel confident and at home on stage. I am a lucky man in lots of ways. I believe I was born to do this.
