My Secret Life - Duncan James

The former Blue singer likes to chat to his dead grandparents

Friday, 9 May 2008

I live in west London because of my work and because my mum and my friends are here.

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield completely changed my life. It's the most incredible book I've ever read. A friend gave it to me and once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I even went through it and underlined things that I thought were really poignant.

When I want to get away from it all I go up to Manchester and spend time with my daughter Tianie-Finn [two]. I have a completely different life there: I'm just Dad and I love it. It's hard her being so far away, but we make it work. I'm not very conventional. I don't think I ever will be.

My best friends are my mum and Tianie-Finn's mum Claire. I don't have any secrets from them and it's lovely to know that I'm 100 per cent real with them.

Food is my guilty pleasure. If I don't go to the gym three times a week I put on weight because I overindulge when it comes to food. When I'm feeling a bit depressed I always spoil myself with a nice meal.

My mum always used to play Eternal Flame by The Bangles in the house when I was a boy. Each time I hear it, it reminds me of being at home with Mum.

I was addicted to I'm A Celebrity.... Get Me Out Of Here! last year. It was the best series ever.

Being in Blue really wasn't good for me. I didn't sleep very well because I was stressed out a lot of the time. Nothing keeps me awake at night these days. I sleep like a baby.

Laws are there to be broken! I've never done anything really bad, but I have to admit that I've made the odd sly phone call while driving.

If I had a lost weekend I'd go down to Dorset, where my grandparents are buried. I'd go to their grave on my own and have a good old chinwag with them.

My most treasured possession is a crucifix my parents gave me when I was 13. It broke last year and I was devastated, but a jeweller put another cross on the back of it and bonded them. It might not be worth much, but I love it.

I cook a mean roast dinner. I have a rotisserie spit in my oven and I honey-roast all my veg. I'm renowned among my friends for my roast. When they find out I'm cooking it, suddenly I'm Mr Popular.

Hulk Hogan was my hero when I was a boy. I was totally obsessed with American wrestling. I had Hulk Hogan curtains, toys, everything. I even used to write letters to him because I thought he was such a cool dude!

I couldn't live without my pillow. It's a big, heavy feather one that I've had since I was a child and it goes everywhere with me. I can't sleep without it.

As I've grown older I've realised money isn't the be-all and end-all. It's important to be healthy and happy, take each day as it comes and take nothing for granted.

I love films that remind me of being a kid, like The Neverending Story.

I'm terrified of snakes. My uncle kept one as a pet when I was little. When I saw it I screamed and I've hated them ever since.

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