The Wanted

March 2011

IT has been a busy week for The Wanted. Not just because the boy band are at the centre of today’s Red Nose Day, with the official single, Gold Forever - any single release means long days of press, radio and TV interviews.

“Promotion weeks are always dead busy,” says Jay McGuiness, who grew up in Farndon.

“We’re always up early and finishing late. We literally just get up and get chucked in a van. We never know what we’re doing.”

Added to promotional duties, the quintet are having to fit in rehearsals for their debut UK tour that’ll bring Jay back to Notts next month.

Don’t expect any co-ordinated dancing a la Westlife or Boyzone. The Wanted don’t do that.

“There’s none of that spinning and grabbing your crotch,” says the 20-year-old, who lived in Carlton for two years, while studying dance and drama at MADD.

So what are we getting?

“There are a few sections that will hopefully surprise people because of how good they are but there’s one that should surprise because of what we’re actually doing.”

Stop talking in riddles, man.

“I can’t really say. I wish I could tell you more. It’s a section where we’re paying tribute to someone.”

Is it Gary Glitter?

“(Laughs) No, I don’t think that would go down well.”

Is it a show that’s heavily focused on the music rather than a big stage production? There are no flying cars, for instance?

“If we had the budget there’d be flying cars. There is a little bit of production but it’s mostly down to us to make it a good show. It’s a cool set though.”

And I imagine you can’t say what it is?

“Nah. I’m not being very interesting am I?”

They will be previewing songs from their next album, the follow-up to the self-titled top five debut, which produced the chart-topping single All Time Low and No. 2 Heart Vacancy.

“After the tour we’re going to have five days in a country house somewhere to do some writing,” says Jay.

After that they’ll be in the US, where they’ve already signed to Def Jam, the home of Jay-Z and Mariah Carey.

For the date at the Royal Concert Hall on April 2, Jay will be seen by his family and friends, who have filled up his personal guest list quota for pretty much the whole UK tour.

“I’ve had to tell my mum to stop sending me people’s names because I’m not allowed any more,” he says.

Poor mum. At least he remembered her birthday last week.

“I sent her flowers and she hates balloons so I sent her a box of balloons,” he laughs

With your face on them?

“Can you imagine? I sent her a link to a video as well that I’d recorded for her with a message on. Apparently she cried.”

Jay, who lives in London with the rest of the band, is still single, yet band member Max has been dating Corrie actress Michelle Keegan and Nathan has been seen chatting up X Factor’s Cher Lloyd.

“They were like two kids at school,” says Jay.

“We sang puppy love to them and she was furious. She stormed off.”

What about you? Tesco Mary, perhaps?

“(Laughs) Let’s circulate that and see what happens.”

Or as Max is seeing Corrie’s Tina, maybe you could go out with Vera Duckworth.

“Isn’t she that old one? So you’re linking me with Tesco Mary out the X Factor and Vera Duckworth!?”

The busy week culminates tonight in an appearance on BBC1’s Comic Relief 2011, where they’ll be performing Gold Forever. The Wanted follow the likes of the Spice Girls, McFly and Girls Aloud in releasing the official single for the charity.

He says: “We hope we do everyone proud.”

Gig

Who: The Wanted, Twenty Twenty

Where: Royal Concert Hall

When: April 2

Tickets: £24, returns only