Olly Murs is desperate to become a father.

Asked if he wants to settle down and have children, he said: "I do, but I'm not ready for it yet. I want to become a dad when I'm not touring. I want to be there every day for that child. I'm not at that place right now."

And, although the couple's split came as a surprise to fans, Olly believes breaking up with Francesca, who is a property manager, was the best thing for both of their careers.

He explained the split: "You get to the point in a relationship where you have to decide what that next commitment stage is. We were both quite career-driven, so..."

But, despite feeling confident he made the right decision ending their romance, the handsome star has admitted it'll be "odd" spending the festive season on his own this year.

Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper's Weekend magazine, he said:

"It's been difficult because we were together for three years, very together.

"Being with her was like being in a bubble - where I'd go to get away from the madness of my world. It was a more normal world. But when that bubble bursts it bursts. "