News

I’m in a modest, modern house in the suburbs of Mansfield and I’m being offered a Tunnock’s teacake. Of all the stars I’ve interviewed, it’s a first – but this is a hospitable, half-Italian household, the childhood home of 27-year-old mezzo-soprano Carly Paoli, who has just returned from performing at the Forum in Rome with world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli.

You’d expect an opera singer to be holed up in a palazzo somewhere hot, not in a front room with swirly carpet. There are lots of photos of her elder brother, Dean, a builder, yet I can’t spot one of Carly – not even a memento of her appearance on stage with Spanish tenor José Carreras. 

But this is a mega-proud household: Mum and dad (Tina and Paul Hopkinson) positively swell to twice their normal size when Carly – a denim skirt cinching her handspan waist, a pink Karen Millen biker jacket over her shoulders – brings me a cup of coffee.

Performing with Andrea Bocelli and Nicole Scherzinger at The O2 Arena

In 2016, on a hot Roman summer night, myself and music legends, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Elaine Paige, The Tenors and Giovanni Caccamo performed a once in a lifetime concert at the historic, atmospheric and ancient Roman Forum. Under the baton of Maestro Gianluca Marciano, we filled Rome’s streets with the sound of glorious music celebrating The Holy Father’s sacred message of ‘Mercy’.

I was very moved by the reception I received following my performance with Julian Ovenden at St James’s Palace last night.

It was such a memorable night meeting HRH Prince Charles with Jose Carreras and such an honour to help raise money for The Prince of Wales Foundation. It is such a good cause.