Aled Jones recalls what it was like rubbing shoulders with music legends like George Michael as a child star.
The 50-year-old singer shot to fame as a choir boy, when his cover of 'Walking in the Air', from the animated film The Snowman, hit number five in the UK music charts in 1985.
Since then he has gone on to have a lengthy music career, being awarded an MBE and also hosting radio and TV shows.
During his interview on Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch on Thursday, the Anglesey star recalled what it was like entering the music industry at such a young age.
"It was totally different to what it is now," the Welsh singer explained:
"I was the only one doing it really at my age. There was no blueprint. I remember signing to Virgin and Richard Branson saying "I don't know how to sell your album, so I'll just sell them how I do Genesis or Boy George".
"So that's what happened, I released 16 albums in four years as a kid which was mad really."
Being asked by presenter Steph McGovern what it was like to become a child star so suddenly, Aled smiled and replied: "It was brilliant! I was a comprehensive schoolboy Monday to Friday.
"And then Saturday and Sunday I was mixing with George Michael and people like that and getting gold and silver discs. But then on Monday, I'd be back in school wouldn't I?
Speaking of how his school friends reacted, Aled added: "There was loads of ripping and stuff like that, but you find out who your good friends are and they didn't really care that I was doing all this.
"But I also kept both worlds totally separate."
Steph McGovern also asked if Aled was "sick of hearing" Walking in the Air, to which he jokingly replied: "No I love it, I play it all the time, what are you saying?
"No, do you know what," he continued: "I went through a stage of kind of being embarrassed and stuff like that, but there's no escaping it so now I'm sort of a proud grandfather if you like."
Aled was on the lunchtime show to talk about his new children's book, Bobby Dean Saves Christmas, which is out now.
Steph's Packed Lunch airs weekdays on Channel 4 from 12.30pm.
