How Bournemouth shaped Gareth Malone's life in music

Choirmaster Gareth Malone has been reflecting on his formative years in music while growing up in Dorset, calling it an "amazing time".

The Choir star will be returning to his childhood hometown of Bournemouth as part of a 15-date tour of his latest singalong show.

Malone, who attended Bournemouth School, said he remembered there being "so many musical opportunities" in the town and he "did them all".

Sing-A-Long-A-Gareth: At The Movies will be in Bournemouth on 12 November at the Pavilion, a venue which the musician said held a particular significance.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, he said: "The Bournemouth years were formative for me for music.

"The Pavilion Theatre was the first place that I ever had a professional gig - I was in Evita as a child.

"Walking around those back-stage corridors was just so strange.

"Then I worked in the bar in the Pavilion in between shows selling drinks for a few years.

"Then I sang with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus for many years, doing my first big choral gigs. That's how I got into big choral music.

"It was an amazing time, there were just so many choirs around and so many musical opportunities for me when I was young and I just did them all."

Malone's new show is a celebration of popular songs from films, with audience participation at its heart.

He said: "I choose songs that people love to sing in the shower but have never had the opportunity to come out and sing with 1,000 other people.

"When people come to the live show, you've got the words on the screen, so you don't need to worry about that.

"You don't have to sing, you can just sit and watch and listen, but most people are bringing their whole choir, they are bringing their grandchildren, their grandmother.

"It's a show you do and not a show you watch."