Will Young "didn't think" he'd make music again because of his battle with anxiety

And now Will hopes he can show people that it's possible to "get better".

Speaking on stage at show show at London's Eventim Apollo on Friday (11.10.19), he said: "It's really wonderful to be here, I didn't think I was going to do any more music because I didn't enjoy my last tour, I was really really ill with anxiety, but I'm much better now, it just shows you can get better."

The 40-year-old 'Pop Idol' winner surprised his fans by jumping out of a giant box which had been placed on stage 15 minutes before the opening of the show to sing opener 'Love Revolution' - and he admitted later in the set that his "dodgy tummy" had caused him big problems in the confined space.

He said: "Did you realise I was in the box? I've had a bit of a dodgy tummy all day and I did a really, really bad fart in that box. I'm talking to the guys, they've got their ears in, and I'm like 'Guys, I'm in trouble, I'm in serious trouble here. It smells like cabbage.' That's why I burst out so effusively, I didn't just want to get to you guys, I actually wanted some oxygen."

While Will only released a new album, 'Lexicon', in June, he kept his set to just two songs from the record, 'Ground Running' and 'My Love', instead delighting his fans to a greatest hits set from his 18-year career, including the likes of 'Grace', 'Light My Fire', 'Your Game' and 'Changes', and covers of The Beatles' 'Golden Slumbers' and Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill'.

A medley of 'All Time Love' / 'Love It A Matter of Distance' / 'Love The One You're With' came with a surprising costume change when the singer came back out onto the stage dressed as a ship, complete with a nautical background unveiled behind him.

The star and his band shunned a traditional encore because they are "lazy", instead ending the set with crowd favourite 'Leave Right Now' and his 'Pop Idol' winners' single, 'Evergreen'.

After performing 'Jealousy', he said: "Because we're lazy, we don't walk off and come back, we just stay on, so welcome to the encore."

In previous years, Will has sung various arrangements of 'Evergreen', but this time stuck faithfully to his original version, although he stumbled in the first chorus, admitting he was expecting the audience to sing it for him, but he quickly found his place again.

'An Evening With Will Young' continues in Oxford on Monday (14.10.19) evening and runs until 29 October, when the tour draws to a close in Blackpool.