The Mirror - interview

~ 07/11/1997 by Richie Taylor ~

Michael aims to have a ball

Aspects of Love star Michael Ball can't figure out why he has never been on stage in Ireland before now.

The genial singer revealed: "I've been to Ireland many times and have lots of friends here, but for some strange reason I've never performed here.

"But that's all going to change now."

Michael is finally on his way here with his new show booked for the Point Theatre on December 6.

The star, whose credits include leading roles in Phantom Of The Opera, West Side Story and Les Miserable, will sing numbers from different stages of his career.

He said, "I take the audience on a theatrical journey of sorts and we all end up having a bit of a party in the end. It's fun."

A fund-raiser for research into ovarian cancer, he set up the ROC charity after his partner's sister died from the disease.

Michael lives with Cathy McGowan, who presented the 1960s' pop show Ready, Steady, Go. They met nine years ago when she interviewed him and have been together ever since.

He said: "Cathy's sister went into hospital for a hysterectomy one March and was dead by July. Ovarian cancer is the biggest killer in the world.

"It's called the silent killer because there are no symptoms."

Michael does several concerts a year for ROC, which tests more than 125,000 women annually.

"Most of my fans are women so they sit up and listen to this. We're raising awareness of the illness."