He grew up in Berkshire (his father runs an engineering company, his mum a nursery), went to public school at Wellington, and got a degree in politics from Exeter University. He doesn't sing out of angst or anger or to get laid or to get rich, particularly - though that's a bonus he's enjoying - but because singing and acting are simply what he loves doing.

Will Young is very open, and full of enthusiasm, particularly about Keep On. It comes with a bonus DVD, which instead of containing boring, behind-the-scenes voiceovers, has on it a series of Young's comedy sketches (really), and a couple of what won't actually be released as videos, but are choreographed 'mini' videos of two songs, 'All Time Love' and 'Happiness'.

He has developed several characters on the DVD, including an absurd French assassin who wears a beret, devours chocolate éclairs and develops an extended belly ('You just stick your tummy out,' he whispers conspiratorially, 'you have to have very strong stomach muscles to do that'), a Bollywood star high on his own sex appeal, and a luvvie preparing to play a First World War pilot. Young sums it up as 'a load of performances that are just so self-indulgent, but amazing for me to be able to do'.

In fact, it's genuinely entertaining, and shows Young as an immensely confident pop star, doing exactly what he wants to do, and that is perform, perform, perform, whether in the studio, in videos or, of course, as a contestant on a talent show.

Will Young became famous in 2002, when he was 23 and won Pop Idol. He became even more famous when, soon afterwards, he politely came out of the closet in the press (he'd been out privately for a long time), while at the same time insisting that it was no big deal. It clearly isn't. He went on a date, according to press reports, with the designer Matthew Williamson once, but it seems there are no lurid details to reveal about his private life, whatever his sexuality. This is important because he seems so comfortable with it. He's not camp, but he's unmistakably gay and the way he quietly owns this only adds to his allure.

Young has become a sexy performer. He's always had a lovely voice, but now he's grown up, learnt to dance, works out, and dresses with care. But more than that, Keep On shows Young using sex in an unforced but deliberate way, something female performers seem to be so much better at - think of Madonna or Gwen Stefani - than men.

For example, the video for the first single to be released from the album, 'Switch It On', stars Young as the Tom Cruise character in a homoerotic spoof of Top Gun called Hot Gun. He's not cool, Will Young, but he's slyer than he looks and willing to take risks, even the not inconsiderable one of making a fool of himself.

On top of all this, he has just made his acting debut in Stephen Frears's much-anticipated film, Mrs Henderson Presents. His co-stars are Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. Not bad for a 26-year-old who not so long ago was auditioning for a two-minute spot on a talent contest. Did he have a vision, I ask him, or did it all happen bit by bit?

He says he doesn't want to be the next Robbie Williams and isn't all that interested in cracking America. If he wasn't a pop singer he would have worked in conservation, preferably in Africa. As it is, he'd like to buy a place in the country, build a recording studio, and have lots of animals and a big walled garden.

. Lots of hammy locker-room fights with a Val Kilmer lookalike, and oiled-up volleyball with 'the boys' in the spoof 'Top Gun' video. Another hit?

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