View source for Will Young

{{Short description|British singer and actor (born 1979)}}
{{similar names|William Young (disambiguation){{!}}William Young}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Will Young
| image              = Will Young on the Avalon Stage at Glastonbury 2016 IMG 8636 (27355033374) (cropped).jpg
| alt                = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption            = Young performing at [[Glastonbury]] in 2016
| birth_name         = William Robert Young
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|df=y|1979|1|20}}
| birth_place        = [[Wokingham]], Berkshire, England
| occupation         = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|actor}}
| years_active       = 2001–present
|alma mater = [[University of Exeter]]
| spouse             = 
| children           = 
| mother             = 
| father             = 
| website            = {{URL|willyoung.co.uk}}
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| genre         = {{hlist|[[Pop Music|Pop]]|[[Electro (music)|electro]]}}
| label           = {{hlist |[[19 Entertainment|19]]|[[Jive Records|Jive]]|[[Island Records|Island]]|[[Cooking Vinyl]]}}
| instrument    = Vocals
| current_member_of =
}}
}}
'''William Robert Young''' (born 20 January 1979) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He came to prominence after winning the 2002 [[Pop Idol (series 1)|inaugural series]] of the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] talent contest ''[[Pop Idol]]'', making him the first winner of the worldwide ''[[Idol series|Idol]]'' franchise. His double A-sided debut single "[[Anything Is Possible (Will Young song)|Anything Is Possible]]" / "[[Evergreen (Westlife song)#Will Young version|Evergreen]]" was released two weeks after the show's finale and became the fastest-selling debut single in the UK. Young also came in fifth place in ''[[World Idol]]'' performing the single "[[Light My Fire]]" written by the band [[the Doors]].

As a teenager, Young studied politics at the [[University of Exeter]] before moving to London, where he studied musical theatre at the [[Arts Educational Schools]] in [[Chiswick]]. Young put his studies on hold in late 2001 to become a contestant on ''Pop Idol''. After winning the competition the following year, he released his debut album ''[[From Now On (Will Young album)|From Now On]]'' (2002) which went straight to number one. ''[[Friday's Child (album)|Friday's Child]]'' (2003) followed and enjoyed greater success, eventually going platinum five times in the UK and spawning three top five singles on the [[UK singles chart]]. His following albums ''[[Keep On]]'' (2005), ''[[Let It Go (Will Young album)|Let It Go]]'' (2008) and ''[[Echoes (Will Young album)|Echoes]]'' (2011) also went multi-platinum and ''[[85% Proof]]'' (2015) became his fourth UK number-one album on the [[UK Albums Chart]]. His albums have spawned many songs that have achieved top ten positions in the UK, four of which went to the number one spot. Young has also undertaken numerous concert tours, and has accumulated multiple honours, including two [[Brit Awards]] from 12 nominations, and the estimated worldwide sale of over eight million albums.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6783/is_2009_Nov_6/ai_n42030521/ |work=Evening Chronicle |title=Pop idol proves he's got longevity; Will Young is in Toon this month. Entertainment Editor GORDON BARR catches up for an exclusive chat with the singer |year=2009 |access-date=8 December 2009 |archive-date=14 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714063928/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6783/is_2009_Nov_6/ai_n42030521/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Alongside his music career, Young has acted in film, on stage and in television. For his performance in the [[2013 Laurence Olivier Awards|2013]] [[London stage (disambiguation)|London]] revival of the musical ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'', he was nominated for the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical|Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical]]. He has also participated in philanthropy and released books ''Anything is Possible'' (2002),<ref name=Giddings>{{cite book |last1=Young |first1=Will |last2=Giddings |first2=Marie-Claire |title=Anything is Possible |publisher=[[Contender Books]] |location=London |date=2002 |isbn=978-1-84357-030-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/anythingispossib0000youn }}</ref> ''On Camera, Off Duty'' (2004), his autobiography ''Funny Peculiar'' (2012), ''To be a Gay Man'' (2020), and ''The A–Z of Wellbeing'' (2022). In January 2022, he appeared in the [[The Masked Singer (British series 3)|third series]] of ''[[The Masked Singer (British TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' as "Lionfish" and in May issued the compilation album ''[[20 Years: The Greatest Hits]]''.

== Early life and education ==
[[File:Wokingham Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 2432464.jpg|thumb|right|Young was born in the English market town of Wokingham]]
Young was born on 20 January 1979 in [[Wokingham]], Berkshire, and is the second-oldest child of Robin Young, a [[company director]] of an engineering firm, and Annabel Young (née Griffith), a [[plant nursery]] gardener. Born six weeks premature, he was ten minutes older than his twin brother, Rupert who died in July 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/03/will-young-twin-brother-dies-13079157/|title=Will Young heartbroken as his twin brother Rupert dies aged 41|first=Alicia|last=Adejobi|date=3 August 2020|access-date=4 August 2020|archive-date=4 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004094009/https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/03/will-young-twin-brother-dies-13079157/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also has an older sister Emma.<ref>{{cite book |last1=McPhee |first1=Erica |title=Will Young: The Biography |year=2005 |publisher=Michael O'Mara Books |location=London |isbn=1-84317-175-9 |page=14}}</ref><ref>Young; Giddings (2002) p. 13.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/2462360/Rupert-Young-struggled-in-the-shadow-of-brother-Will-Youngs-success.html |title=Rupert Young struggled in the shadow of brother Will Young's success |first=Roya |last=Nikkhah |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=26 July 2008 |access-date=11 October 2016 |archive-date=8 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160908221233/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/2462360/Rupert-Young-struggled-in-the-shadow-of-brother-Will-Youngs-success.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Young's grandfather, Digby Aretas Young (1916 - 1966) was a [[flight lieutenant]] in the Royal Air Force,<ref>{{Cite web| title=Supplement to the London Gazette | date=26 April 1949 | url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38593/supplement/2034/data.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212051947/https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38593/supplement/2034/data.pdf | archive-date=2020-02-12}}</ref><ref name="McP 63">McPhee (2005) p. 63.</ref> and features in [[Thomas D. Calnan]]'s memoir. His great-great-great-great-grandfather was Colonel Sir [[Aretas William Young]],<ref name="McP 63" /> who, in 1795 at seventeen years old, joined the [[British Army]] and served in Ireland and [[Egypt]] before fighting in the [[Peninsular War]]. Aretas was later stationed in [[Trinidad]] and eventually took charge of the Trinidadian government, before moving to [[Demerara]] where he was appointed Protector of Slaves. Aretas became the sixth [[Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island|Governor]] of [[Prince Edward Island]] in 1831, and three years later was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] by [[King William IV]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Prince Edward Island Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators 1769 to May 2009 |year=2009 |publisher=Elections P.E.I. |location=[[Charlottetown]] |page=9 |chapter=Hon. Sir Colonel Aretas William Young |chapter-url=http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ele_governors.pdf |access-date=28 March 2013 |archive-date=14 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014193855/http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ele_governors.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=St. James's Palace, July 9, 1834 |url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/19172/pages/1307 |work=The London Gazette |issue=19172 |page=1307 |date=11 July 1834 |access-date=14 February 2010 |archive-date=11 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011184233/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/19172/pages/1307 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-first=Francess G. |editor1-last=Halpenny |editor1-link=Francess G. Halpenny |title=[[Dictionary of Canadian Biography]] |access-date=14 February 2010 |volume=VI |year=1979 |orig-year=1966 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |chapter=Young, Sir Aretas William |chapter-url=http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?id_nbr=3204 |archive-date=14 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114211039/http://biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?id_nbr=3204 |url-status=live }}</ref> One of Aretas's sons was Sir [[Henry Young]], fifth [[Governor of South Australia]], later first [[Governor of Tasmania]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gibbney |first1=H.G. |title=[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]] |access-date=14 February 2010 |volume=6 |year=1976 |orig-year=1966 |publisher=[[Melbourne University Publishing]] |location=Melbourne |pages=452–453 |chapter=Young, Sir Henry Edward Fox (1803–1870) |chapter-url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/young-sir-henry-edward-fox-4902 |archive-date=13 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213042054/http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060485b.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Serle |first1=Percival |author-link1=Percival Serle |title=[[Dictionary of Australian Biography]] |access-date=14 February 2010 |year=1949 |publisher=Angus and Robertson |location=Sydney |chapter=Young, Henry Edward Fox |chapter-url=http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogX-Z.html |archive-date=17 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150117224022/http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogX-Z.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Hugh Despenser the Younger|Hugh Le Despenser]] is Young's his 18-times great-grandfather. [[Edward I]] was his 20-times great-grandfather.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002d34s/who-do-you-think-you-are-series-22-7-will-young |title=Who Do You Think You Are? Series 22: 7. Will Young |publisher=BBC iPlayer |access-date=4 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref> Edward was the great-grand son of [[William the Conquerer]]. 

Young was brought up in [[Hungerford]], [[West Berkshire]], and was initially educated at Kingsbury Hill School in [[Marlborough, Wiltshire|Marlborough]], Wiltshire, before attending [[Horris Hill School|Horris Hill Preparatory School]], [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]], between the ages of eight and thirteen.<ref>McPhee (2005) pp. 16–17.</ref> His first appearance on stage was at the age of four when he played a [[fir tree]] in a school production and had one line to speak.<ref>McPhee (2005) p. 16.</ref> At Horris Hill, Young was head chorister in the school choir, and at the age of nine he learned how to play the piano.<ref>McPhee (2005) p. 17.</ref> Young recalls that at Horris Hill, pupils were taught that they were more privileged than pupils from state schools, and that one day he wrote a letter stating, "I must pass [[Common Entrance Examination|common entrance]] to take me to public school, otherwise I'll be going to state school and everyone will be very disappointed."<ref name=schooldays>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/my-schooldays-will-young-singer-1625513.html |title=My Schooldays: Will Young, Singer |first=Simon |last=Jablonski |date=19 February 2009 |work=The Independent |location=London |access-date=12 February 2010 |archive-date=31 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831164138/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/my-schooldays-will-young-singer-1625513.html |url-status=live }}</ref> At thirteen, Young and his brother were enrolled as [[boarding school|boarders]] at the [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public school]] [[Wellington College, Berkshire|Wellington College]] in [[Crowthorne]], Berkshire.<ref name="McPhee 2005. p. 17">McPhee (2005). p. 17.</ref> Young appeared in several school productions and often gave speeches in assembly, despite later admitting that he never felt completely comfortable being the centre of attention.<ref name="McPhee 2005 p. 18">McPhee (2005) p. 18</ref>

It was during this period that he became interested in sports and for a time he dreamed of competing in the [[Olympic Games]] in the 400-metre sprint, which he could run in under fifty seconds&nbsp;– the Olympic average is forty-three seconds.<ref name="McPhee 2005. p. 17"/> He became captain of the school's basketball and athletics teams, and also represented the school in the triple jump, long jump, football and rugby.<ref name="McPhee 2005 p. 18"/> The only sport he says he felt uncomfortable playing was cricket.<ref name="McPhee 2005. p. 17"/>

Young left school with ten [[GCSE]]s,<ref name="McPhee 2005 p. 18"/> but achieved disappointing [[A-Level]] results and had to enrol in [[d'Overbroeck's College]], Oxford, to re-sit his exams. He took a part-time job as a waiter at the Grand Café in Oxford, and became interested in environmental issues and local campaigning, joining a group called the Eco Society.<ref>McPhee (2005) pp. 18–19.</ref> He passed his A-Levels the second time, earning As in Politics and Ancient History, and a B in English.<ref>McPhee (2005) p. 19.</ref> In 1998 Young began studying politics at the [[University of Exeter]],<ref name="time-place">{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6905384.ece |title=Time and Place: Will Young |first=Rosanna |last=Greenstreet |date=8 November 2009 |work=The Sunday Times |access-date=12 February 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> choosing the subject because, "I thought I should know more about what was going on in my country."<ref>Young (2002) pp. 9–10</ref> He also took [[women's studies]] at university and considers himself a [[feminist]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/will-young/feminism-shows-us-the-way_b_18592368.html | title=Feminism Shows Us The Way | work=HuffPost | first=Will | last=Young | date=19 November 2017 | access-date=13 August 2021 | archive-date=13 August 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813002850/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/will-young/feminism-shows-us-the-way_b_18592368.html | url-status=live }}</ref> His interest in performing arts continued, and he joined a theatre group called Footlights where he eventually landed the lead role of Curly in their production of ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' "I really enjoyed it and doing that gave me a lot of confidence", he later said of the show.<ref>McPhee (2005) p. 20</ref> He also took a [[work experience]] position at [[Sony Records]] to gain insight into the music industry.<ref name=schooldays /><ref name="McPhee 2005 p. 25">McPhee (2005) p. 25.</ref> Other work included runway and photographic modelling, gardening, tearing labels off T-shirts in a clothing factory, and being a waiter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/will-young |title=Will Young Profile |work=Hello |date=8 October 2009 |access-date=12 February 2010 |archive-date=4 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204104157/http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/will-young/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He graduated in 2001 with a [[Second-class honours|2:2]] [[bachelor's degree]].<ref name=schooldays /><ref name="McPhee 2005 p. 25"/> After leaving university, Young knew that he wanted to be a professional singer, but wanted training and experience. In September 2001 he became a student at the [[Arts Educational Schools]], in [[Chiswick]], London.<ref>McPhee (2005) p. 24</ref>

== Career ==

=== 1999–2001: Early auditions ===

In 1999 during his second year at university, Young watched an episode of ''[[This Morning (TV series)|This Morning]]'' and learned that the show was holding a competition to find members for a new boy band. He mailed the producers an audition tape and received a letter back from the show telling him he had been selected as one of seventy-five competitors, and that he had to appear in London for an off-camera audition.<ref name="McP 22">McPhee (2005) p.22</ref> The 75 auditionees were whittled down to 9 finalists including Young, who were then invited to perform on the show. On 29 May 1999, Young appeared on the programme and performed a short rendition of [[the Jackson 5]] song, "[[I'll Be There (Jackson 5 song)|I'll Be There]]",<ref>{{Cite episode |title=This Morning |episode-link=This Morning (TV series)|series=This Morning |credits=[[Richard Madeley]], [[Judy Finnigan]] (presenters) |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=29 May 1999}}</ref> in front of a panel of judges that included [[Simon Cowell]], an [[artists and repertoire]] executive at [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowell |first1=Simon |author-link1=Simon Cowell |title=I Don't Mean To Be Rude, But... |year=2003 |publisher=Broadway Books |location=New York |isbn=0767917413 |url=https://archive.org/details/idontmeantoberud00cowe }}</ref> and [[Kate Thornton]], a former editor of ''[[Smash Hits]]'', turned television presenter.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4673136.stm |title=Smash Hits magazine closing down |date=2 February 2006 |work=BBC News |access-date=14 February 2010 |archive-date=28 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728134632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4673136.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> One week later, Young was selected into the boy band alongside three other competitors. They were [[Lee Ryan]] who later joined the boy band [[Blue (English band)|Blue]], [[Declan Bennett]] who joined the boy band [[Point Break (band)|Point Break]], signed to Danielle Barnett, the current lead singer of [[Urban Cookie Collective]] and Music Manager who contacted him directly following the This Morning audition, and [[Andy Scott-Lee]] who went on to compete in the second series of ''[[Pop Idol]]''.<ref>Young (2002) p. 9</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |title=This Morning |episode-link=This Morning (TV series)|series=This Morning |credits=[[Richard Madeley]], [[Judy Finnigan]] (presenters) |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=6 June 1999}}</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |title=This Morning |episode-link=This Morning (TV series) |series=This Morning|credits=[[Phillip Schofield]], [[Holly Willoughby]] (presenters) |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=3 October 2013 |minutes=45}}</ref> Cowell said of the group, "We've tried to find people with star quality and these guys can sing and dance",<ref name="McP 23">McPhee (2005) p. 23.</ref> but the band failed to find any success and it soon dis-banded.<ref name="McP 23" /> Young's next audition was at the [[Guildhall, London|Guildhall]] in London to be a [[jazz]] singer, but he accidentally arrived on the wrong date.<ref>Young (2002) p.10</ref>

===2001–2002: ''Pop Idol''===
{{further|Pop Idol (series 1)}}
[[File:Simon Cowell in December 2011.jpg|thumb|right|190px|[[Simon Cowell]], a judge and one of the executive producers of ''Pop Idol'', was highly critical of Young's audition]]

On 20 June 2001, one of Young's university classmates showed him an advertisement in the ''[[News of the World]]'' for auditionees of ''[[Pop Idol]]'', a planned nationwide televised talent show to find a solo pop artist in a similar way that ''[[Popstars]]'' had created the pop band [[Hear'Say]] the previous year.<ref name="Young15–65">Young (2002) pp. 15–16</ref> The winner was guaranteed a [[GBP|£]]1&nbsp;million recording contract with [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]] and representation by [[19 Management]].<ref>McPhee (2005) p.54.</ref> He printed out an application form from the website, filled it out and posted it on 28 June.<ref name="Young15–65" /> On 7 August 2001, he received a reply which told him he had been accepted for an audition at [[ExCeL London]] on 5 September 2001.<ref>Young (2002) p. 18</ref> On the day of the audition, Young performed [[Aretha Franklin]]'s "[[Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)]]" in front of an assistant producer, and was deemed good enough to be given a second audition two days later.<ref>Young (2002) pp. 21–22.</ref> For his second audition, Young sang "[[Blame It on the Boogie]]" by the Jacksons in front of a show producer and won a place to the third round to perform before the show's judges:<ref>Young (2002) p. 23</ref> Simon Cowell; [[Nicki Chapman]], a ''Popstars'' judge who also worked as a publicist at [[19 Entertainment]], the company that was producing ''Pop Idol''; [[Pete Waterman]], a music producer who had written or produced twenty-one singles that had charted at Number One in the [[UK Singles Chart]], 200 Top Tens, and sold over 500 million records for the artists such as [[Kylie Minogue]], [[Rick Astley]], [[Bananarama]], [[Steps (group)|Steps]] and [[Westlife]]; and [[Neil Fox (media personality)|Neil "Dr Fox" Fox]], a disc jockey who presented the [[drivetime]] show on [[95.8 Capital FM|Capital FM]] and the nationally syndicated [[Pepsi Chart]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Solanas |first1=Siân |title=Pop Idol: The Official Inside Story of the ITV Series |year=2002 |publisher=Carlton Books |location=London |isbn=1842225367 |pages=8–9}}</ref> He was the final contestant the judges saw, and after a day of watching mostly poor performances they were not in the best spirits. Again, Young performed "Blame It on the Boogie", but the judges thought his overall performance was merely average. Chapman told him that his dance moves had let him down, but his vocal was good. Fox described him as [[camp (style)|cheesy]], Waterman was unimpressed by his stage presence and image&nbsp;– Young was wearing baggy and faded jeans, scuffed shoes and his grandfather's jumper which was stained with egg yolk&nbsp;– but conceded that his voice was "nice". Despite their uncertainty, however, they advanced him through to the next round.<ref name=audition>{{Cite episode |title=Open Auditions 5 |series=Pop Idol |series-link=Pop Idol |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=20 October 2001 |series-no=[[Pop Idol (series 1)|1]] |number=5}}</ref> The following week, auditions were held at the [[Criterion Theatre]], and Young sang "[[All or Nothing (O-Town song)|All or Nothing]]" by [[O-Town]], [[the Drifters]]' "[[Up on the Roof (song)|Up on the Roof]]" and "[[Fast Love]]" by [[George Michael]]. Still not completely convinced by his performances, he was made to wait in the "Maybe" room until the judges decided to send him through to the Final 50.<ref>Young (2002) pp. 27–35.</ref><ref>McPhee (2005) pp. 29–31.</ref>

The first episode of ''Pop Idol'' was broadcast on 6 October 2001 on [[ITV1|ITV]], and Young's audition aired on the third show on 20 October 2001.<ref name=audition /> The next round of the competition was split into five heats that aired every Saturday between 3 November 2001 and 8 December 2001. Each show featured ten of the fifty competitors singing one song in the ''Pop Idol'' studios in front of the judges and an audience, but unlike previous rounds, the viewing public decided who would advance to the next round by [[interactive television|interactive]] [[televoting]] voting using their telephones, the [[Red Button (digital television)|Red Button]] on [[digital television]] [[remote control]]s, and the ''Pop Idol'' website. The two singers with the highest number of votes in each heat advanced to the final rounds of the competition. Young competed in Heat 4, broadcast on 24 November,<ref>Solanas (2002) pp. 26–27</ref> and sang a jazz/[[lounge music|lounge]] interpretation of "[[Light My Fire]]" by [[the Doors]].<ref>Young (2002) pp. 60–66.</ref> Judges Chapman, Fox and Waterman were all enthusiastic about his performance, but Cowell was unimpressed and called it "distinctly average", adding, "I just thought it was totally normal. In the context of the show I honestly didn't think it was good enough."<ref>Young (2002) p. 67</ref> The other judges and contestants all expressed shock at his comments, and Young responded, telling Cowell that while he was entitled to his opinion, it was wrong.<ref name="Young p68" />
{{Quote box
|width   = 33em
|bgcolor = #c6dbf7
|quote = '''Young:''' "I love disagreeing with Simon because I do it every week, but all of us [the contestants] have been dying to say things to you.—"<br />'''Cowell: '''"Well I just spoke how I felt, so you do the same."<br />'''Young: [Interrupting Cowell] '''"Sorry, can I finish? Thank you. It's nice that you've given opinions in this show. In previous shows you haven't, you've just projected insults and it's been terrible to watch... It is your opinion, but I don't agree with it. I don't think it was average. I don't think you could ever call that average, but it is your opinion and I respect that, so thank you very much."
|source =&nbsp;– Exchange between Will Young and [[Simon Cowell]], after Cowell criticised Young's performance of "Light My Fire". "Open Auditions 5". ''[[Pop Idol]]''. [[ITV1|ITV]]. 20 October 2001. No. 5, series 1.<ref name=audition /><ref name="Young p68">Young (2002) p. 68</ref>
}}
This incident has often been cited as the moment when Young's pop career truly began, standing out to viewers and endeared himself to them.<ref>{{cite news |title=William conquers ''Pop Idol'' |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1811806.stm |work=BBC News |date=9 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=8 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008235633/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1811806.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://betting.betfair.com/specials/xfactor/post-2-291007.html |title=Welsh dragon can slay X Factor's Emily |date=29 October 2007 |publisher=Betair |access-date=1 April 2013 |archive-date=16 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316010046/http://betting.betfair.com/specials/xfactor/post-2-291007.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Will Young: Not your average pop idol |first=Sylvia |last=Patterson |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3559543/Will-Young-not-your-average-pop-idol.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=31 August 2008 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=30 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430152919/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3559543/Will-Young-not-your-average-pop-idol.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Will Young: From now on |first=Sheryl |last=Garratt |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3563782/Will-Young-from-now-on.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=28 November 2008 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=21 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121061041/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3563782/Will-Young-from-now-on.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The boy in the corner: Why is Will Young in therapy? |first=Fiona |last=Sturges |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-boy-in-the-corner-why-is-will-young-in-therapy-1811049.html |newspaper=The Independent |date=1 November 2009 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=4 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104040751/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-boy-in-the-corner-why-is-will-young-in-therapy-1811049.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It appeared that the voting audience agreed with Young and disagreed with Cowell, because he was voted through to the next round, in first place, with 41.5% of the overall vote.<ref>Solanas (2002) p. 27.</ref> During Young's next appearance on the show on 15 December 2001, Cowell stated that he had previously made a "huge mistake", and that Young had conducted himself with a dignity that had humbled him.<ref>McPhee (2005) p.36.</ref> Young later stated that his proudest moment of the entire competition was this incident.<ref>McPhee (2005) p. 35.</ref>

Young easily progressed through each subsequent round by performing jazz, lounge and [[soul music|soul]] versions of songs such as "[[Wives and Lovers]]",<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Top 8: Burt Bacharach Songs |series=Pop Idol |series-link=Pop Idol |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=29 December 2001 |series-no=[[Pop Idol (series 1)|1]] |number=16}}</ref> "[[Ain't No Sunshine]]"<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Top 7: Songs from the Movies |series=Pop Idol |series-link=Pop Idol |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=5 January 2002 |series-no=[[Pop Idol (series 1)|1]] |number=17}}</ref> and "[[Beyond the Sea (song)|Beyond the Sea]]".<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Top 3: Judges' Choice |series=Pop Idol |series-link=Pop Idol |network=[[ITV1|ITV]] |airdate=2 February 2002 |series-no=[[Pop Idol (series 1)|1]] |number=21}}</ref> In the first four weeks of the Live Finals, he received the highest percentage of votes. In weeks five, six and seven, he received the second highest percentage of votes, losing out on first place to [[Gareth Gates]] each time.<ref>Solanas (2002) pp. 57–59, 61–62, 64, 66.</ref> In the Semi-final, competing against Gates and [[Darius Danesh]], Young again received the most votes (39.8%). Gates received 39.3% of the votes and won the other place in the Grand Final, while Danesh received 20.9% of the votes and was eliminated from the competition.<ref name="Solanas 2002 p. 68">Solanas (2002) p. 68.</ref>

Throughout the following week, Young and Gates embarked on separate whistle-stop tours of the United Kingdom in large tour buses adorned with their faces, in an attempt to canvass for votes. In election-style campaigns, they made numerous radio and television appearances, were interviewed in magazines, national and local newspapers, and met and performed for their fans.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gareth remains Pop Idol favourite |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1808961.stm |work=BBC News |date=9 February 2002 |access-date=27 December 2010 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524084010/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1808961.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=CNN>{{cite news |title=Will becomes certain Pop Idol |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2002-02-10/entertainment/popidol.will_1_uk-pop-star-cathy-dennis |publisher=CNN |date=11 February 2002 |access-date=27 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002161101/http://articles.cnn.com/2002-02-10/entertainment/popidol.will_1_uk-pop-star-cathy-dennis?_s=PM%3ASHOWBIZ |archive-date=2 October 2012}}</ref> Celebrities such as [[Noel Gallagher]], [[Robbie Williams]], [[Posh and Becks]], Kylie Minogue, [[Myleene Klass]], [[Michelle Collins]], [[S Club 7]] and [[Jenny Frost]] announced their support for Young, while Gates was backed by [[Duncan James]], [[Natasha Hamilton]], [[Richard and Judy]], Westlife, [[Faye Tozer]], [[Denise Van Outen]], [[Ben Adams]], [[Neil Tennant]], [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]], [[Claire Richards]], [[Boy George]], [[Ricky Gervais]] and [[Francis Rossi]].<ref name=CNN /><ref>{{cite news |title=Pop Idol: Celebrities reveal their favourites |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a6186/pop-idol-celebrities-reveal-their-favourites.html |first=Neil |last=Wilkes |work=Digital Spy |date=9 February 2002 |access-date=31 December 2010 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022161303/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a6186/pop-idol-celebrities-reveal-their-favourites.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>McPhee (2005) pp. 56–57.</ref><ref>Solanas (2002) p. 78.</ref> The media pitted Young and Gates against each other, publishing false news articles claiming that the two contestants were bitter rivals and their parents were bickering and fighting backstage, stories which both camps denied.<ref name="Solanas 2002 p. 68"/><ref>McPhee (2005) p. 54.</ref><ref>Young (2002) pp. 165–178.</ref> Although for a brief moment earlier in the series Young was favoured to win,<ref>{{cite news |title=Pop Idol: Will favourite to win |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a4588/pop-idol-will-favourite-to-win.html |first=Neil |last=Wilkes |work=Digital Spy |date=7 January 2002 |access-date=31 December 2010 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022161356/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a4588/pop-idol-will-favourite-to-win.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[bookmakers]] gave Gates better odds on the eve of the Grand Final, pointing to his angelic voice, good looks and displays of emotion that appealed to a younger audience, compared with Young's soulful crooning and maturity appealing to housewives and intellectuals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bookies bank on Gareth to be Pop Idol |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1384248/Bookies-bank-on-Gareth-to-be-Pop-Idol.html |first=Matt |last=Born |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=9 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=18 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018013814/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1384248/Bookies-bank-on-Gareth-to-be-Pop-Idol.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pop Idol Will makes his mark |first=Michael |last=Osborn |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2305477.stm |work=BBC News |date=7 October 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=8 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008231150/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2305477.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Gates was given various odds of 1/5, 2/9 and 2/7, while Young's odds were quoted at 100/30, 11/4, 3/1 and 5/2 at different times in the week.<ref name=CNN /><ref>{{cite news |title=Pop Idol Rik Backs Will |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641043396 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411210749/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641043396 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2013 |publisher=Sky News |date=8 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Gareth remains ''Pop Idol'' favourite |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1808961.stm |work=BBC News |date=9 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524084010/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1808961.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pop Idol: Bookies place Gareth favourite |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a6185/pop-idol-bookies-place-gareth-favourite.html |work=Digital Spy |date=9 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022161421/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a6185/pop-idol-bookies-place-gareth-favourite.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 9 February 2002, 13.34&nbsp;million viewers watched Young and Gates battle each other in the Grand Final for the title of "Pop Idol".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30 |title=Weekly Top 30 Programmes |publisher=BARB |at=User must select the parameters "ITV" as the Channel, "2002" as the Year, "February" as the Month, and "Feb 04&nbsp;– Feb 10" as the Week to access search results. Currently there is no direct link to the search results. |access-date=16 February 2010 |archive-date=15 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215163945/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30 |url-status=live }}</ref> Both acts sang "[[Anything Is Possible (Will Young song)|Anything Is Possible]]" and "[[Evergreen (Westlife song)|Evergreen]]", which were to be released as a [[double A-side]] single by the winner. Young also sang "Light My Fire" a second time as his favourite performance from the series.<ref>Solanas (2002) p. 79.</ref> 8.7&nbsp;million votes were registered over the two-and-a-half hours that the voting lines were open, which set a new [[world record]].<ref>{{cite book |editor1-first=Claire |editor1-last=Folkard |title=[[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Records 2003]] |date=August 2002 |publisher=HiT Entertainment |isbn=1892051176 |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00folk/page/194 194] }}</ref> However, some voters complained that their votes had not been registered and that ITV, [[British Telecom]] and Telescope (the company responsible for operating the phone system) had not prepared well enough for the volume of calls because the system crashed at one point during the evening. It was also alleged that the phonelines had been fixed and they were involved in [[vote rigging]].<ref>{{cite news |title=''Pop Idol'' fans cry foul |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-534552-pop-idol-fans-cry-foul.do |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505084045/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-534552-pop-idol-fans-cry-foul.do |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |newspaper=Evening Standard |location=London |first1=Patrick |last1=Sawer |first2=Laura |last2=Smith |date=11 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=''Pop Idol'' phone poll a winner |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641043610 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411192723/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641043610 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2013 |publisher=Sky News |date=11 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=''Pop Idol'' fans fury at phone vote "fix" |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_1813000/1813770.stm |date=11 February 2002 |work=Newsround |access-date=2 January 2011 |archive-date=14 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214095844/http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_1813000/1813770.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, Young was announced the winner of the competition after receiving 4.6&nbsp;million (53.1%) votes, just 500,000 more than Gates.<ref>Solanas (2002) p.79.</ref> Young's shock at hearing the news was obvious to viewers as his jaw dropped and he clasped his hands to his face. "When he [<nowiki/>[[Ant McPartlin]]] said what the votes were, I thought, 'I am second, and I have lost by that much. Oh well, that's not bad'," Young recalled. "When I heard I'd won ... I felt like I'd been hit. I stepped backwards. I could not believe it."<ref name=BBCwin>{{cite news |title=Will wins ''Pop Idol'' |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1809938.stm |work=BBC News |date=10 February 2002 |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-date=14 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414020645/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1809938.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>McPhee (2005) p. 59.</ref> In 2011, Young described ''Pop Idol'' as "a huge starting point and ... the best ever experience for me, ever."<ref>{{cite news |title=Will Young: "''Pop Idol'' was the best ever experience" |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a337713/will-young-pop-idol-was-the-best-ever-experience.html |work=Digital Spy |date=30 August 2011 |access-date=4 October 2011 |archive-date=5 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005225239/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a337713/will-young-pop-idol-was-the-best-ever-experience.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== ''Pop Idol'' performances and results ====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Week
!Theme
!Song performed
!Original artist
!Result
!Percentage of<br />public votes
|-
|Audition
|Idol's Choice
|"[[Blame It on the Boogie]]"
|[[The Jacksons]]
|Advanced
|rowspan=4|N/A
|-
|London Rounds
|Day 1, first performance
|"[[All or Nothing (O-Town song)|All or Nothing]]"
|[[O-Town]]
|Advanced
|-
|London Rounds
|Day 1, second performance
|"[[Up on the Roof (song)|Up on the Roof]]"
|[[The Drifters]]
|Advanced
|-
|London Rounds
|Day 2
|"[[Fastlove]]"
|[[George Michael]]
|Advanced
|-
|Top 50
|Semi-finals
|"[[Light My Fire]]"
|[[The Doors]]/[[José Feliciano]]
|Safe (1st)
|41.5%
|-
|Top 10
|Pop idols
|"[[Until You Come Back to Me]]"
|[[Aretha Franklin]]
|Safe (1st)
|27.3%
|-
|Top 9
|Christmas songs
|"[[Winter Wonderland]]"
|[[Richard Himber|Richard Himber and his Hotel Carelton Orchestra]]
|Safe (1st)
|22.6%
|-
|Top 8
|[[Burt Bacharach]] music
|"[[Wives and Lovers]]"
|[[Jack Jones (singer)|Jack Jones]]
|Safe (1st)
|21.3%
|-
|Top 7
|Music from the movies
|"[[Ain't No Sunshine]]"
|[[Bill Withers]]
|Safe (1st)
|29.8%
|-
|Top 6
|Songs of [[ABBA]]
|"[[The Name of the Game (ABBA song)|The Name of the Game]]"
|[[ABBA]]
|Safe (2nd)
|25.2%
|-
|Top 5
|Big band night
|"[[We Are in Love]]"
|[[Harry Connick, Jr.]]
|Safe (2nd)
|24%
|-
|Top 4
|Performers' choice
|"[[Night Fever]]"<br />"[[There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)]]"
|[[Bee Gees]]<br />[[Eurythmics]]
|Safe (2nd)
|27.9%
|-
|Top 3
|Judges' choice
|"[[Beyond the Sea (song)|Beyond the Sea]]"<br />"[[I Get the Sweetest Feeling]]"
|[[Bobby Darin]]<br />[[Jackie Wilson]]
|Safe (1st)
|39.8%
|-
|Top 2
|Idol single (A-side)<br />Idol's favourite<br />Idol single (AA side)
|"[[Anything Is Possible (Will Young song)|Anything is Possible]]"<br />"Light My Fire"<br />"[[Evergreen (Westlife song)|Evergreen]]"
|Will Young<br />The Doors/José Feliciano<br />[[Westlife]]
|Winner
|53.1%
|}

=== 2002–2003: ''From Now On'' ===
Young's first single was a double A-side featuring Westlife's song "Evergreen" and "Anything Is Possible", a new song written for the winner of the show by [[Chris Braide]] and [[Cathy Dennis]]. In March 2002, this became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history, selling 403,027 copies on its day of release (1,108,659 copies in its first week). It went on to sell over 1.7&nbsp;million copies, and on the official list of the all-time best-selling singles in the UK issued later that year, it was ranked eleventh. In 2008, [[Official Charts Company]] released the Top 40 Biggest Selling [[Single (music)|Singles]] of the 21st century (so far) in which Young's version of Evergreen topped the chart.<ref name="digitalspy.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a193314/youngs-pop-idol-hit-is-decades-top-seller.html |title=Young's 'Pop Idol' hit is decade's top seller  |work=Digital Spy |date=31 December 2009 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=4 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604023445/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a193314/youngs-pop-idol-hit-is-decades-top-seller.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 31 December 2009, [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]] confirmed that "Anything Is Possible"/"Evergreen" was the biggest selling single of the 2000s decade in the United Kingdom. This was again confirmed on 7 May 2012 when Radio 1 played a countdown of the top-selling 150 songs of the millennium so far.<ref name="digitalspy.co.uk"/> "Anything Is Possible" won an [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Bestselling Song of 2002.

In October 2002, Young released his debut album, ''[[From Now On (Will Young album)|From Now On]]'', which included "Evergreen", nominated in the [[Brit Award for Song of the Year|Best British Single]] category at the [[Brit Awards 2003]], and "Anything Is Possible". It produced three singles: "Light My Fire", "[[The Long and Winding Road]]" (a duet with Gareth Gates, released as a double A-side with Gates's song "[[Suspicious Minds]]") and "[[Don't Let Me Down (Will Young song)|Don't Let Me Down]]"/"[[You and I (Will Young song)|You and I]]" (released in aid of [[Children in Need]]). He won his first [[BRIT Award]] in February 2003 as [[Brit Award for Best New Artist|Best British Breakthrough Act]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2655109.stm |work=BBC News |title=Brit Awards 2003: Winners |date=21 February 2003 |access-date=7 August 2008 |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110115701/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2655109.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Young sang "Try Again", a song featured in [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]]'s ''[[101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure]]'', the 2003 [[direct-to-video]] sequel to [[Walt Disney]]'s 1961 feature ''[[One Hundred and One Dalmatians]]''.<ref>{{Citation|title=Will Young – Try Again| date=24 March 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45wO5FktgsY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/45wO5FktgsY| archive-date=12 December 2021 |url-status=live |access-date=13 February 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

=== 2003–2007: ''Friday's Child'' and ''Keep On'' ===
[[File:Willyoung.jpg|thumb|right|Young performing at [[G-A-Y]], 2006]]
Young's second album, ''[[Friday's Child (album)|Friday's Child]]'', was released in December 2003. It features the singles "[[Leave Right Now]]", nominated in the Best British single category of the past 25 years at the [[Brit Awards 2005]] and winner of the [[Ivor Novello]] Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 2004, "[[Your Game]]" (which won Young his second Brit Award in 2005 for Best British Single of the Year)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4162591.stm |work=BBC News |title=Brits 2005: The winners |date=9 February 2005 |access-date=7 August 2008 |archive-date=17 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917153730/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4162591.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> and "[[Friday's Child (2004 song)|Friday's Child]]" In November 2005, Young released his third album, ''[[Keep On]]'', which included the single "[[All Time Love]]", nominated in the Best British Single category at the [[Brit Awards 2007]]. Other singles from the album were "[[Switch It On]]" and "[[Who Am I (Will Young song)|Who Am I]]".

In May 2006, he sang at [[the Prince's Trust]] 30th Birthday, which took place at the [[Tower of London]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/newsandgallery/news/a_star_studded_concert_celebrates_30_years_of_the_prince_s_t_788.html |title=News and Diary |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |date=16 November 2012 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912033340/http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/newsandgallery/news/a_star_studded_concert_celebrates_30_years_of_the_prince_s_t_788.html |archive-date=12 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> From 12 September until 2 October 2006, Young toured the UK with his Keep On Live Tour, which included the songs taken from his album ''Keep On'' and a selection of past songs. The official merchandise range for the tour, highlighted by the press, included a "tip and strip" pen which, when turned over, reveals Young in his underpants. In October 2006, Young sang at [[Nitin Sawhney]]'s concert in the [[BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms|BBC Electric Proms]] series of concerts. He followed this by performing in South Africa for [[Nelson Mandela]]'s Unite of the Stars charity concerts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3444088&fSectionId=&fSetId=251 |title=Stars Unite Against Hunger live in SA |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070802170318/http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3444088&fSectionId=&fSetId=251 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 August 2007 |access-date=12 August 2008}}</ref>

In July 2007, he appeared at the [[Concert for Diana]] at the new [[Wembley Stadium]]. Young was the headline act at the [[BBC Proms|Proms in the Park]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2007/pitp/london.shtml |title=Proms&nbsp;– Proms in the Park&nbsp;– London |publisher=BBC |date=8 September 2007 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609060349/http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2007/pitp/london.shtml |archive-date=9 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which took place in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]] in September 2007 as part of the [[Last Night of the Proms]]. In September 2007, Young performed at [[Ronnie Scott]]'s Jazz Club with the Vanguard Big Band. Young took part in the [[Little Noise Sessions]], a series of intimate, acoustic gigs for the learning disability charity, [[Mencap]]. He performed in November 2007 with special guests at [[Islington]]'s [[Union Chapel, Islington|Union Chapel]].

=== 2008–2010: ''Let It Go'' and ''The Hits'' ===
[[File:WillYoung.jpg|thumb|left|Young performing at Guilfest in 2009]]
On 29 September 2008, Young's fourth album, ''[[Let It Go (Will Young album)|Let It Go]]'', was released. It peaked at No.2 on the [[UK Albums Chart]], having been preceded by the single "[[Changes (Will Young song)|Changes]]", which was released on 15&nbsp;September and peaked at No.10 in the [[UK Singles Chart]]. His next single "Grace" was released on 1&nbsp;December 2008, and peaked at No.33 on the UK Singles Chart.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20081207/7501/ |title=Official Charts |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=1 January 2018 |archive-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430130411/http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20081207/7501/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The third single taken from the album, "[[Let It Go (Will Young song)|Let It Go]]", was released on 2&nbsp;March 2009 in the UK, and peaked at No.58 on the UK Singles Chart.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/In%20The%20Morning%20%28Let%20Your%20Love%20Come%20In%29 |title=Let It Go Chart Position and trajectory |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=21 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722194605/http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/in%20the%20morning%20(let%20your%20love%20come%20in)/ |archive-date=22 July 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11827/will-young/ |title=WILL YOUNG |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=19 May 2017 |archive-date=19 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419020844/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11827/will-young/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The fourth and final single, "[[Tell Me the Worst]]", was released in the UK only, on 5&nbsp;July 2009. It served as a club promo, and featured some [[Fred Falke]] remixes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Will-Young-Tell-Me-The-Worst-Fred-Falke-Remixes/release/1811121 |title=Will Young&nbsp;– Tell Me The Worst (Fred Falke Remixes) (CDr) at Discogs |work=Discogs |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=30 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230160706/http://www.discogs.com/Will-Young-Tell-Me-The-Worst-Fred-Falke-Remixes/release/1811121 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2008, Young again appeared at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with the Vanguard Big Band. Young is to perform at various festivals during mid-2008, including [[Glastonbury Festival|Glastonbury]], [[T in the Park]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/tinthepark/2008/artist/will_young/ |title=T in the Park 2008&nbsp;– Will Young |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=13 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813232907/http://www.bbc.co.uk/tinthepark/2008/artist/will_young/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> in Scotland and [[Bestival]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20080409_amy.shtml |title=6 Music -Bestival: Amy and Young |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813233226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20080409_amy.shtml |archive-date=13 August 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> on the [[Isle of Wight]].

On 24 August 2008, Young appeared at the Olympic Party which took place in [[the Mall, London|the Mall]], London. He performed his latest single "Changes" and "[[I Can See Clearly Now]]", which was originally sung by [[Johnny Nash]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7540593.stm |work=BBC News |title=Will Young to play Olympic party |date=4 August 2008 |access-date=4 August 2008 |archive-date=30 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830020137/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7540593.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
On an interview with [[Digital Spy]], Young revealed that he was working on a [[dance-pop]] album, which might be released in late 2009. He also confirmed that he was working with British duo [[Groove Armada]], Superbass, who remixed his UK Top 10 single "Changes", and [[Gregg Alexander]], who has previously worked with British pop singers [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]] and [[Geri Halliwell]]. He also confirmed that he is working on an album covering songs by [[Noël Coward]], which is as yet in its very early stages and he "doesn't know if it will end up".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a145786/will-young.html |title=Will Young&nbsp;– Music Interview |work=Digital Spy |date=9 February 2009 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=19 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419024639/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a145786/will-young.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Young performed in a sell-out theatre tour, commencing on 16&nbsp;November 2008 and continuing until 13&nbsp;December 2008 with two dates at the [[Roundhouse (venue)|Roundhouse]] in [[London Borough of Camden|Camden]], London.

Young was the featured singer on the ''[[The X Factor (UK)|X-Factor]]'' programme on [[ITV1]] on Saturday 1&nbsp;November 2008. He also mentored the remaining [[The X Factor (British TV series) series 5|series five]] contestants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/xfactor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106112950/http://xfactor.itv.com/stories/story-detail/item_100332.htm|url-status=dead|title=The X Factor|archive-date=6 November 2008|website=Itv.com}}</ref> On 31&nbsp;December 2008, Young was featured as a guest on [[Elton John]]'s Live New Year show at the [[The O2 Arena|O2 Arena]] in London along with that year's ''X Factor'' winner [[Alexandra Burke]]. He joined John on the song [[Daniel (Elton John song)|"Daniel"]]. Young was one of the performers on the ''Live at Blackpool'' programme on [[BBC Radio 2|BBC Radio&nbsp;2]] on Saturday 5&nbsp;September 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/live-in-blackpool/2009/artists/will-young/ |title=Radio 2&nbsp;– Blackpool Live 2009&nbsp;– Will Young |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=13 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813075909/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/live-in-blackpool/2009/artists/will-young/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Will young.jpg|thumb|right|Young performing at Guilfest in 2009]]

Young's greatest hits collection, ''[[The Hits (Will Young album)|The Hits]]'', was released on 16&nbsp;November 2009. It included two brand new songs, one of them the single "Hopes & Fears". The album was a success on the charts, being certified Platinum by the [[British Phonographic Industry]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcalabelgroup.co.uk/news/14252/0/ |title=Will set to release 'The Hits'! |date=3 August 2009 |website=RCA Label Group (UK) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808154050/http://www.rcalabelgroup.co.uk/news/14252/0/ |archive-date=8 August 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2010, Young collaborated with Groove Armada on their album [[Black Light (Groove Armada album)|''Black Light'']], singing vocals on the track "History". As part of his 2010 outdoor summer tour, it was announced that he would be a special guest and play on the [[Elizabeth II|Queen]]'s [[Sandringham Estate]], [[Sandringham, Norfolk|Sandringham]] in Norfolk.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8550000/8550490.stm |work=BBC News |title=Watson joins Young at Sandringham |date=26 March 2010 |access-date=5 March 2010 |archive-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412123241/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8550000/8550490.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor was his supporting act for his 2010 The Hits Tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sophieellisbextor.net/news?id=272 |title=News : Sophie to support Will Young at Summer gig |publisher=Sophie Ellis-Bextor |access-date=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414231652/http://www.sophieellisbextor.net/news?id=272 |archive-date=14 April 2012 }}</ref>

His 2003 song "Leave Right Now" was featured on ''[[American Idol]]'' [[American Idol season 9|season 9]] as the "departing song".<ref name="americanidol.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.americanidol.com/news/view/pid/2976/ |title=Getting to Know Will Young&nbsp;– Show and Alumni News |publisher=American Idol |date=15 April 2010 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=30 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230162040/http://www.americanidol.com/news/view/pid/2976 |url-status=live }}</ref> He also performed live on the programme on 25&nbsp;May 2010. Young gave his first US concert on 26&nbsp;May at [[West Hollywood]]'s Ultra Suede nightclub.<ref>{{cite web |author=Robbie Daw |url=http://idolator.com/5518351/will-young-los-angeles-american-idol |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715042520/http://idolator.com/5518351/will-young-los-angeles-american-idol |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2012 |title=PHOTOS: After 'Idol,' Will Young Does A Special Gig Before "Leave"-ing L.A. &#124; Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on |date=26 May 2010 |publisher=Idolator.com |access-date=12 December 2012 }}</ref> He was also featured on the cover of the US magazine ''[[Instinct (magazine)|Instinct]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://instinctmagazine.com/cover-story/cover-guy-will-young |title=Cover Guy: Will Young |date=26 April 2010 |work=[[Instinct magazine]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607122302/http://instinctmagazine.com/cover-story/cover-guy-will-young |archive-date=7 June 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Young was told by someone at the record company to re-record his hit single "Leave Right Now" because he sounded too gay on the track. He didn't realize this but he was made to re-record the song until the record executives were satisfied with it.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/will-young-leave-right-now-too-gay-comment-music-industry-homophobia-a8269876.html |title=Will Young was told to re-record a hit song because he sounded 'too gay' |date=23 March 2018 |work=The Independent |access-date=3 April 2018 |language=en-GB |archive-date=3 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403115450/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/will-young-leave-right-now-too-gay-comment-music-industry-homophobia-a8269876.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2011–2016: ''Echoes'', record label change and ''85% Proof'' ===
[[File:Will Young 2011 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|190px|Young performing at Castle Concerts at Rochester Castle Gardens, 2011]]

In early 2011, Young tweeted teaser clips of tracks from his new album, [[Echoes (Will Young album)|''Echoes'']], which was subsequently released on 22 August 2011 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one on 29 August 2011 making it Young's first number one album since ''Friday's Child'' in 2003. The first single "[[Jealousy (Will Young song)|Jealousy]]" premiered on BBC Radio 2, between 9.00am-12noon, Monday 11 July 2011. The single was released on 21 August 2011, preceding the album by 1 day with the single peaking at No.5. [[A Night with...|''A Night with...Will Young'']] was aired two days before the release of ''Echoes'' on [[ITV1]] presented by [[Kate Thornton]] charting all of Young's greatest hits plus performing a few new tracks from the album. Young appeared on the third episode of ''[[The Jonathan Ross Show]]'' performing "Hearts on Fire" from Echoes to further promote the album. Young undertook a 23 date [[Echoes Tour]] in the UK including 2 nights at London's [[Shepherd's Bush]] Empire in Autumn 2011. The second single from Echoes was "[[Come On (Kish Mauve song)#Will Young version|Come On]]" released in November 2011, with the accompanying video featuring Young performing at a dog show. It was confirmed that Young would appear as one of the four judges on the [[The Voice UK series 1|first series]] of the singing competition series ''[[The Voice UK]]'' although on 12 December 2011 it was reported that Young had been replaced by [[Danny O'Donoghue]] at the last minute. He performed a special Christmas concert at the [[London Palladium]] in December as the final night of his 2011 performances. The following day it was announced that he would be undertaking summer shows as part of the [[Forestry Commission]]'s summer concert programme, also at Cornbury Festival. 2012 singles releases were "[[Losing Myself]]" and "I Just Want a Lover" with accompanying videos.

On 8 November 2012, it was announced Young had left his record company after being with them since winning ''Pop Idol'' over ten years ago and signed with [[Island Records]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://press.xixentertainment.com/will-young/will-young-signs-to-island-records/ |title=Will Young signs to Island Records |publisher=xixentertainment.com |access-date=11 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012224227/http://press.xixentertainment.com/will-young/will-young-signs-to-island-records/ |archive-date=12 October 2016 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

On ''[[Good Morning Britain (2014 TV programme)|Good Morning Britain]]'', Young announced that he was recording his sixth studio album. On 25 March 2015, he announced on his [[Instagram]] account that the title of the new album will be ''[[85% Proof]]''. It was released on 25 May.<ref>{{cite web |last=Corner |first=Lewis |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a637792/will-young-announces-new-album-85-percent-proof.html#~p7ZaCcwHfEuaAw |title=Will Young announces new album 85% Proof |work=Digital Spy |date=25 March 2015 |access-date=22 May 2015 |archive-date=29 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529193633/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a637792/will-young-announces-new-album-85-percent-proof.html#~p7ZaCcwHfEuaAw |url-status=live }}</ref>

The final single from ''85% Proof'' was "[[What the World Needs Now Is Love|What the World Needs Now]]", written by [[Burt Bacharach]], which he released towards the end of 2015 as part of [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]]'s campaign to raise awareness for declining wildlife populations across the globe.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hegarty |first=Tasha |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a774812/will-young-to-release-a-burt-bacharach-classic-for-wwf-campaign/ |title=Will Young to release his stunning take on a Burt Bacharach classic for WWF campaign |work=Digital Spy |date=21 November 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015 |archive-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123231154/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a774812/will-young-to-release-a-burt-bacharach-classic-for-wwf-campaign/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2019–2021: ''Lexicon'' and ''Crying on the Bathroom Floor'' ===

Young's album ''[[Lexicon (Will Young album)|Lexicon]]'' was released on 21 June. Young also released the lead single "[[All the Songs]]" from the album the same day and announced he would be embarking on a tour in October 2019 in support of the album. Young had stated in an interview he had no intentions of releasing any more records as he was focusing on acting and his podcast series, however after going into the studio with friend and producer [[Richard X]], the lead single was recorded and the album naturally followed.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} 

On 26 March 2021 Young announced the release of his eighth studio album ''[[Crying on the Bathroom Floor]]'', which was released on 6 August 2021. Following the release, Young said: "I loved the idea of creating an album that celebrates some of the modern female artists I so admire in pop. In today's times it's so much easier and accepted to occupy other genders, ideas and explore new avenues. I wanted to understand what it might be like to sing their lyrics. A song about a boy called Daniel; crying on the bathroom floor, feeling like [[Elizabeth Taylor]]. I wanted to bring songs from female artists who I admire into a new arena. I wanted to work with Richard X again and create a true pop record."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/will-young-announces-new-album-crying-on-the-bathroom-floor |title=Will Young Announces New Album 'Crying On The Bathroom Floor' |work=[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]] |last=Murray |first=Robin |date=26 April 2021 |access-date=27 April 2021 |archive-date=26 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426185032/https://www.clashmusic.com/news/will-young-announces-new-album-crying-on-the-bathroom-floor |url-status=live }}</ref> "[[Daniel (Bat for Lashes song)#Will Young version|Daniel]]", the lead single taken from the album, was released on 26 April 2021, with the official video released on the same day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/will-young-announces-new-album-crying-on-the-bathroom-floor-unveils-lead-single-daniel__32966/|title=Will Young announces new album Crying On The Bathroom Floor, unveils lead single Daniel|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=26 April 2021|access-date=27 April 2021|archive-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426185034/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/will-young-announces-new-album-crying-on-the-bathroom-floor-unveils-lead-single-daniel__32966/|url-status=live}}</ref> The second song to be lifted from the album was "Elizabeth Taylor", a cover of a [[Clare Maguire]] track which was released on 28 May.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://completemusicupdate.com/article/will-young-reworks-songs-by-his-favourite-female-artists-on-new-album/ |title=Will Young reworks songs by his favourite female artists on new album |last=Cooke |first=Chris |date=26 April 2021 |website=Complete Music Update |access-date=26 May 2021 |archive-date=26 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526192641/https://completemusicupdate.com/article/will-young-reworks-songs-by-his-favourite-female-artists-on-new-album/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The title track (a cover of the 2017 [[Muna (band)|Muna]] single) was released on 8 July 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/232193/9 |title=Will Young Posts Title Track Of Upcoming Album 'Crying On The Bathroom Floor' |last=Stickler |first=Jon |date=8 July 2021 |website=stereoboard |access-date=8 July 2021 |archive-date=8 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708090116/https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/232193/9 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/21mZ65L1sv8X2QxeTDa2oT?si=29712406f5cf4daa |title=Will Young 'Crying On The Bathroom Floor' |date=8 July 2021 |website=[[Spotify]] |access-date=8 July 2021 |archive-date=10 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710191429/https://open.spotify.com/track/21mZ65L1sv8X2QxeTDa2oT?si=29712406f5cf4daa |url-status=live }}</ref>

===2021–present: 20th anniversary and ''Light It Up''===

On 25 October 2021, Young announced the compilation ''[[20 Years: The Greatest Hits]]'' for release on 27 May 2022, marking 20 years since he won ''Pop Idol''. The album included his greatest hits alongside two new tracks, "Why Does It Hurt" and "Breaking Free". Young also announced the 20 Year Tour in support of the album in October 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/will-young-announces-new-album-20-years-the-greatest-hits-to-celebrate-pop-idol-anniversary__34291/|title=Will Young announces new album 20 Years – The Greatest Hits to celebrate Pop Idol anniversary|publisher=Official Charts Company|last=Griffiths|first=George|date=25 October 2021|access-date=26 October 2021|archive-date=25 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025161938/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/will-young-announces-new-album-20-years-the-greatest-hits-to-celebrate-pop-idol-anniversary__34291/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2022 Young competed in the [[The Masked Singer (British series 3)|third series]] of ''[[The Masked Singer (British TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' as "Lionfish". He was unmasked in the third episode.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/itv-masked-singer-fans-unhappy-22689767 |title=ITV The Masked Singer fans have same criticism as Will Young unveiled as Lionfish |first=Katy |last=Hallam |orig-date=8 January 2022 |date=9 January 2022 |newspaper=[[Birmingham Mail]] |access-date=8 January 2022 |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110115738/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/itv-masked-singer-fans-unhappy-22689767 |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 22 February 2023 to 11 March 2023, Young starred in the play ''Song from Far Away'', which was staged at [[HOME (Manchester)|HOME]] in Manchester.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ilovemanchester.com/will-young-interview|title=Will Young Talks Career Highlights And Why His New Play Feels Like He Is Coming Home|website=I Love Manchester|last=Meads|first=Glenn|year=2023|access-date=3 March 2024}}</ref> Mark Fisher, reviewing the play for ''[[The Guardian]]'', praised Young's performance, writing that he "act[ed] with melodic grace".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/feb/26/song-from-far-away-review-will-young-home-manchester|title=Song from Far Away review – Will Young acts with melodic grace in poignant monologue|website=The Guardian|last=Fisher|first=Mark|date=26 February 2023|access-date=3 March 2024}}</ref> In June 2023 Young performed, again on the Avalon Stage, at the Glastonbury Festival.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife/young-glastonbury-2023-stage-time-8519127 | title=Will Young at Glastonbury 2023 – stage, time, setlist, clashes and more | date=24 June 2023 }}</ref> Young confirmed in an interview with [[Sky News]] that he had begun work on his next studio album and that it would be released in 2024.

In February 2024, Young posted a series of videos on Instagram, showing him working on a music video shoot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/willyoungofficial/?hl=en|title=Will Young Instagram|website=Instagram|access-date=3 March 2024}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=August 2024}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retropopmagazine.com/will-young-teases-pop-tastic-new-album-80s-inspired-lead-single/|title=Will Young teases 'pop-tastic' new album, '80s-inspired lead single|website=Retro Pop Magazine|last=Gotto|first=Connor|date=3 April 2024|access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref> On 18 April 2024, Young released the single "Falling Deep", alongside an accompanying music video.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSil3In4-U8|title=Will Young - Falling Deep (Official Video)|via=YouTube|date=18 April 2024|access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/falling-deep-single/1739373434|title=Will Young - Falling Deep (single)|website=Apple Music|date=18 April 2024|access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref> A second single, "Midnight", was released on 7 June 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/3d24mrRftVEcDCu4hJBbLp?si=pHkaR0UMS_-NHKTijwmvSw|title=Will Young - Midnight|website=Spotify|date=7 June 2024|access-date=7 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://retropopmagazine.com/will-young-announces-new-single-midnight-from-forthcoming-album-light-it-up/|title=Will Young releases new single Midnight from forthcoming album Light It Up|website=Retro Pop Magazine|last=Gotto|first=Connor|date=4 June 2024|access-date=7 June 2024}}</ref> The singles' parent album, ''[[Light It Up (Will Young album)|Light It Up]]'', was released 9 August 2024;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retropopmagazine.com/will-young-announces-new-single-falling-deep-album-light-it-up/|title=Will Young returns with new single Falling Deep, announces ninth album Light It Up|website=Retro Pop Magazine|last=Gotto|first=Connor|date=18 April 2024|access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://entertainment-focus.com/2024/04/18/will-young-to-release-new-album-light-it-up-in-august/|title=Will Young to release new album 'Light It Up' in August|website=Entertainment Focus|last=Ellwood-Hughes|first=Pip|date=18 April 2024|access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref> it debuted at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/will-young-light-it-up/|title=Will Young - Light It Up|website=Official Charts|date=16 August 2024|access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref> To accompany the album, Young toured the UK in September and October 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/read-this/will-young-new-album-tour-music-touring-4593367|title=Will Young talks new album, bumper tour - and missing his dogs when he's out on the road|website=The Scarborough News|last=Hollis|first=Patrick|date=18 April 2024|access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref>

== Other ventures ==

=== Acting career ===
Young added acting to his repertoire when he accepted a role in the [[BBC]] film ''[[Mrs Henderson Presents]]'', starring [[Judi Dench]] and [[Bob Hoskins]], in which he played Bertie.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mrs Henderson Presents – review {{!}} cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/mcc5s/mrs-henderson-presents/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=26 August 2020 |archive-date=20 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020001136/https://www.radiotimes.com/film/mcc5s/mrs-henderson-presents/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was released in the UK in November 2005 to positive reviews.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} Young was an executive producer for [[Ralph Fiennes]]' production of Shakespeare's ''[[Coriolanus (film)|Coriolanus]]'' filmed in [[Serbia]], and his documentary on the making of the film features on its DVD release. He was to have a small role in the film as a reporter on the conflict as well as being executive producer,<ref name="americanidol.com"/> but it was decided that his appearance was a "distraction" and it did not make the final cut of the film.

Young trod the boards in the [[Royal Exchange Theatre]]'s production of ''[[The Vortex]]'' by Noël Coward. This production ran from January to March 2007 and Young played the leading role of Nicky Lancaster. Critics, including [[Nicholas de Jongh]], were positive.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nicholas de Jongh |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/show-23361506-details/The+Vortex/showReview.do?reviewId=23382645 |title=Revelatory Will finds key to Coward classic&nbsp;– Theatre & Dance&nbsp;– Arts |work=Evening Standard |date=23 January 2007 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110115713/https://www.thisislondontickets.co.uk/?reviewId=23382645 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012, Young appeared in the musical ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'' in London, after a short nationwide tour. This marked his [[West End theatre|West End]] debut. He was awarded the [[WhatsOnStage Awards|What's on Stage Award]] for London Newcomer of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |author=Feast Creative |url=http://awards.whatsonstage.com/news/full-list-winners-announced-of-the-2013-whatsonstagecom-awards |title=Full list: Winners announced of the 2013 Whatsonstage.com Awards &#124; WhatsOnStage.com Awards |publisher=Awards.whatsonstage.com |access-date=22 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221050408/http://awards.whatsonstage.com/news/full-list-winners-announced-of-the-2013-whatsonstagecom-awards |archive-date=21 February 2013}}</ref> He was also nominated for the 2013 [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical]], but lost out to [[Michael Ball]] for [[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street]] at the [[2013 Laurence Olivier Awards]].{{cn|date=June 2025}}

Young also appeared in the 2010 ''[[Agatha Christie's Marple|Marple]]'' drama "[[The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side]]" and guest starred in a 2010 episode of ''[[Skins (TV series)|Skins]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/drama/tv-news/news/will-young-to-star-in-miss-marple/6577 |title=Will Young to star in Miss Marple |date=5 August 2009 |access-date=20 December 2009 |work=What's on TV |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110115709/https://www.whattowatch.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a190945/writer-will-young-amazing-on-skins.html |title=EXCLUSIVE: Writer: 'Will Young amazing on Skins' |work=Digital Spy |date=11 December 2009 |access-date=20 December 2009 |archive-date=14 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214224520/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a190945/writer-will-young-amazing-on-skins.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011, he starred in a new drama series on [[Living (UK TV channel)|Sky Living]] called ''[[Bedlam (2011 TV series)|Bedlam]]'', about supernatural happenings taking place at a disused asylum being converted into loft-style apartments. The £3&nbsp;million six-part series began airing on 7 February 2011. It was distributed by [[BBC Worldwide]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/aug/16/will-young-bedlam-living-tv |title=Living to air Will Young TV thriller |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=16 August 2010 |access-date=9 January 2011 |first=Maggie |last=Brown |archive-date=16 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216151414/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/aug/16/will-young-bedlam-living-tv |url-status=live }}</ref> Young was a guest on ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' during season 12 episode 2 and set the fastest wet lap around the track in the [[Daewoo Lacetti|Chevrolet Lacetti]]. On 31 October 2011, Young was also the guest host of ''[[Never Mind the Buzzcocks]]''.

In November 2004, Young presented a documentary entitled ''Runaways''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/11_november/09/cin_runaways.shtml |title=Press Office&nbsp;– BBC Children in Need 2004 Runaways |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=13 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813232940/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/11_november/09/cin_runaways.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> as part of the [[Children in Need]] campaign, highlighting the problems facing distressed teens who run away from home, and the plight they were in being picked up off the streets and railway stations by pimps who offered them work and drugs. The children did not know where to go for immediate help unless they were picked up by the police and sent to a refuge centre. During June 2007 a series of documentaries entitled ''[[Saving Planet Earth]]'' was shown on [[BBC Television]]. Young filmed an episode about saving the gorillas of West Africa during his visit to Africa earlier in the year.

In March 2009, ITV1 arts programme, ''[[The South Bank Show]]'' presented an hour long fly on the wall documentary about Young that they had been filming over the course of the year as he returned to promote the ''Let It Go'' album. It showed him in [[Iceland]] filming the video for the "Let It Go" single, backstage before his performance on ''The X Factor'' and on his UK theatre tour from November 2008 among other segments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sonymusic.co.uk/news/12241/ |title=News &#124; Sony Music Entertainment |publisher=Sonymusic.co.uk |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924103818/http://www.sonymusic.co.uk/news/12241/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2011, ITV based an hour-long programme on Young, entitled ''A Night with.... Will Young''. This was to promote the release of his most recent album ''Echoes''.

In October 2007, Young narrated an audio version of the [[Roald Dahl]] novel ''[[Danny, the Champion of the World]]''.

Young was made a "Companion" of the [[Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2009/05/22/will-young-and-liverpool-s-joe-mcgann-to-become-lipa-companions-92534-23686927/ |title=Will Young and Liverpool's Joe McGann to become LIPA companions |author=Laura Davis |publisher=Liverpooldailypost.co.uk |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=26 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526042429/http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2009/05/22/will-young-and-liverpool-s-joe-mcgann-to-become-lipa-companions-92534-23686927/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2023, Young returned to the theatre with the one-man show ''Song from Far Away'', by [[Olivier Award]] winner [[Simon Stephens]] and [[Mark Eitzel]], at the HOME Theatre in Manchester.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://homemcr.org/production/song-from-far-away/ | title=Song from Far Away | work=HOME }}</ref>

=== Other activities ===
On 27 October 2008, Young spoke on Celebrity at the [[Oxford Union]], where he showed an interest in forming a band named 'Will Young and the Credit Crunchers'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oxford-union.org/termcard?SQ_CALENDAR_VIEW=event&SQ_CALENDAR_EVENT_ID=1736&SQ_CALENDAR_DATE=2008-10-27 |title=Michaelmas Term 2012 |publisher=the Oxford Union |date=27 October 2008 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=12 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812233648/http://www.oxford-union.org/termcard?SQ_CALENDAR_VIEW=event&SQ_CALENDAR_EVENT_ID=1736&SQ_CALENDAR_DATE=2008-10-27 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was invited to appear on ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]'' after he revealed he was a fan of the show.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news |date=2 October 2008 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7649074.stm |title=Young invited on to Question Time |work=BBC News |access-date=22 December 2009 |archive-date=8 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208225317/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7649074.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> He participated in the edition from [[Dunstable]], Bedfordshire, in February 2009 and March 2012.<ref name=BBC />

Young supports the charity [[Women's Aid]], about which he wrote, "I am proud to put my name beside this cause, and hope that I might be able to help more people affected by the terrors of domestic violence, as well as help to create a wider awareness within our society."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.womensaid.org.uk/fundraising/Womens_Aid_Annual_Report_lower.pdf |title=until women & children are safe, Annual Review 2002/03 |work=[[Women's Aid]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050127124338/http://www.womensaid.org.uk/fundraising/Womens_Aid_Annual_Report_lower.pdf|archive-date=27 January 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Young also supports Mencap, about which he wrote, "I'm very much in this for the long term, and I'd like to help continue to break down peoples' misconceptions and prejudices". He also supports [[The Children's Society]] Safe and Sound Campaign, and ''Positive Action Southwest'' (PASW), for which he performed at his first solo concert, in July 2003, at [[Killerton|Killerton House]], [[Exeter]].{{cn|date=June 2025}}

Young has been an ambassador for the Prince's Trust since 2002, and performed at the 30th anniversary concert in the grounds of the [[Tower of London]].{{cn|date=June 2025}}

Together with Dame [[Helen Mirren]], [[Helena Bonham Carter]] and [[Martin Freeman]], Young appeared in a series of advertisements during the Christmas period of 2007 for [[Oxfam]], called "Oxfam Unwrapped".{{cn|date=June 2025}}

Young is the ambassador for Mood Foundation, a charity which aims to build a database of private therapists and alternative therapies to treat various types of depressive conditions. It was set up by Young's twin brother Rupert Young.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moodfoundation.com/home.php |title=About Us |publisher=Mood Foundation |access-date=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608143301/http://www.moodfoundation.com/home.php |archive-date=8 June 2008}}</ref>

Young is an ambassador for [[Catch22 (charity)|Catch22]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catch-22.org.uk |title=Transforming lives and communities |publisher=Catch22 |date=7 December 2012 |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=14 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214152357/http://www.catch-22.org.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> a UK young people's charity, which supports young people in tough situations. The young people may come from tough upbringings or districts, where poverty, crime and unemployment are common features. They may be leaving care, truanting, or have been excluded from school. Some of them have started getting into trouble with the police or may have got as far as custody.<ref>[http://www.catch-22.org.uk/index.asp?m=241&s=276&month=6&year=2010&c=2928] {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In April 2011 Young ran the [[London Marathon]] for [[Catch22 (charity)|Catch22]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/news/london-marathon-36-500-runners-compete-in-30th-race |title=London Marathon: 36,500 runners compete in 30th race&nbsp;– Channel 4 News |publisher=Channel 4 |date=17 April 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012 |archive-date=10 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510013113/http://www.channel4.com/news/london-marathon-36-500-runners-compete-in-30th-race |url-status=live }}</ref> competing again for the charity in 2012.

On 18 April 2012, Young confirmed he would be releasing his first autobiography. The book was published by Sphere on 11 October 2012 entitled ''Funny Peculiar''.

In August 2016, Young was announced as a contestant participating in the [[Strictly Come Dancing (series 14)|fourteenth series]] of ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''. After having competed, with professional dancer [[Karen Clifton]], over the first three weeks of the show, on 11 October he announced that he was quitting the show for "personal reasons".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37622797 |title=Will Young quits Strictly Come Dancing |date=11 October 2016 |publisher=BBC |access-date=11 October 2016 |archive-date=11 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011202322/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37622797 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Young is a longtime supporter of wildlife charities, including WWF. He released "What the World Needs Now" in late 2015, from the album ''85% Proof'', to raise awareness and funds for declining wildlife populations around the world, saying, "It's shocking to think that in my lifetime global wildlife populations have declined by over 50% and our forests and oceans remain at risk." The music video, produced by WWF, was aired on UK television in late 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last=Winter |first=Stuart |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/620600/WWF-music-video-Will-Young-promote-saving-planet |title=Will Young to release his stunning take on a Burt Bacharach classic for WWF campaign |publisher=Express |date=20 November 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015 |archive-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123034620/http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/620600/WWF-music-video-Will-Young-promote-saving-planet |url-status=live }}</ref>

Young confirmed on 1 September 2020 during [[BBC Two|BBC2]]'s ''[[Newsnight]]'' interview that his new book ''To Be a Gay Man'' would be published by [[Virgin Books]] on 3 September 2020. In it, he writes of the [[Chris Moyles]] "rampage of homophobia" in 2009, live on BBC Radio 1, which left Young "aghast" and unable to speak out against it at the time.{{cn|date=June 2025}}

In November 2021, Young handcuffed himself to a gate, joining a protest at [[Camp Beagle]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/will-young-on-camp-beagle-lorraine-8627456 | title=Will Young on Camp Beagle: 'People thought I had a breakdown' | work=Hunts Post | date=18 January 2022 }}</ref>

Following the death of his twin, Rupert, Young presented a [[Channel 4]] documentary, titled ''Will Young: Losing My Twin Rupert''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/will-young-twin-documentary-channel-4-newsupdate/|title=Will Young to address death of his twin in Channel 4 documentary|website=Radio Times|last=Morris|first=Lauren|date=27 April 2022|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/will-young-documentary-losing-my-twin-rupert-channel-4-b996817.html|title=Release date announced for Will Young's new documentary about the death of his twin|website=Evening Standard|last=Gregory|first=Elizabeth|date=9 May 2022|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref> The documentary, airing on 10 May 2022, was rated 4/5 stars by ''The Guardian''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/10/will-young-losing-my-twin-rupert-review-family-alcoholism-please|title=Will Young: Losing My Twin Rupert review – an unflinching portrait of 20 years of sadness|website=The Guardian|last=Mangan|first=Lucy|date=10 May 2022|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref> Young was praised by critics for being open and honest about Rupert's addiction and suicide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/will-young-rupert-death-channel-4-b2076386.html|title=Will Young, Losing My Twin Rupert: Viewers praise the singer for opening up about his brother's addiction|website=Independent|last=Muir|first=Ellie|date=11 May 2022|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In March 2002, after winning ''Pop Idol'', Young publicly [[came out]] as gay, pre-empting a tabloid newspaper from [[outing]] him. He also stated that he had never hidden it and was comfortable with his sexual orientation. As of 2017, Young was in a relationship.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1864643.stm |title=Pop Idol Will: 'I'm gay' |date=10 March 2002 |work=BBC News |access-date=8 October 2009 |archive-date=12 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912235123/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/1864643.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/will-young-i-went-on-tinder-and-it-was-brilliant-hysterical-9mjhwrj6j |title=Will Young: 'I went on Tinder and it was brilliant, hysterical' |date=27 March 2017 |work=[[The Times]] |access-date=29 May 2017 |archive-date=27 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527143351/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/will-young-i-went-on-tinder-and-it-was-brilliant-hysterical-9mjhwrj6j |url-status=live }}</ref>

Young's main home is a house in [[Dalston]], [[East London]]. He also owns a 17th-century cottage in the middle of [[Bodmin Moor]], Cornwall,<ref>{{cite web |last=Sturges |first=Fiona |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-boy-in-the-corner-why-is-will-young-in-therapy-1811049.html |title=The boy in the corner: Why is Will Young in therapy?&nbsp;– Profiles&nbsp;– People |work=The Independent |date=1 November 2009 |access-date=22 May 2015 |archive-date=20 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720005234/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-boy-in-the-corner-why-is-will-young-in-therapy-1811049.html |url-status=live }}</ref> where he is a keen gardener.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00062hz|title=BBC Two – Gardeners' World, 2019, Episode 15|publisher=BBC|access-date=21 July 2019|archive-date=28 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728043319/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00062hz|url-status=live}}</ref> He also owns a [[Georgian era|Georgian]] townhouse worth around £1 million [[Calne]], [[Wiltshire]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webb |first=Daniel Jae |date=2025-10-07 |title=Pop star Will Young spared driving ban after offence near Calne home |url=https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/pop-star-will-young-driving-calne/ |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=Wiltshire 999s |language=en-GB}}</ref>.

On 30 July 2020, it was confirmed that Young's twin brother, Rupert, had died, aged 41.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53647337|title=Will Young's twin brother Rupert dies aged 41|work=[[BBC News]]|date=4 August 2020|access-date=4 August 2020|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804075233/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53647337|url-status=live}}</ref> A spokesperson for the family said, "Will's relationship with Rupert had been tough over the years at times, and they had both spoken about the mental health problems which had made it challenging... there were hopes he had turned a corner and they are a very loving family — and utterly devastated by his passing."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/rupert-young-death-will-young-left-devastated-as-twin-brother-dies-aged-41-a4515646.html|title=Rupert Young death: Will Young left devastated as twin brother dies aged 41|work=[[Evening Standard]]|first=Sean|last=Morrison|date=4 August 2020|access-date=4 August 2020|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822123221/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/rupert-young-death-will-young-left-devastated-as-twin-brother-dies-aged-41-a4515646.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, Young adopted two dogs which had faced euthanasia in America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesupervet.com/stories/domino-diamond/|title=Domino & Diamond|website=Thesupervet.com|access-date=3 November 2025}}</ref>

In April 2021, Young spoke about his experiences at his prep school, Horris Hill Preparatory School in Newbury, saying he had had [[PTSD]]. He said, "I've been thinking a lot about prep school, and wondering if any of those institutions will be brought to justice for the things that I saw happen... kids thrown against radiators. Other things I can't talk about." Young also remembered drunk teachers "rolling around dormitories", and one "you wouldn't go for a ride with... Teachers looking at our penises in the shower, in the bath... There was such a sense of injustice from things that I experienced and witnessed... I think I escaped — not that it didn't damage me."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/26/will-young-on-prep-school-ptsd-and-psychotherapy-shame-doesnt-help-anything|title=Will Young on prep school, PTSD and psychotherapy: 'Shame doesn't help anything'|last=Godfrey|first=Chris|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=26 April 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-date=11 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511120258/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/26/will-young-on-prep-school-ptsd-and-psychotherapy-shame-doesnt-help-anything|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/will-young-school-ptsd-abuse-b1837462.html|title=WILL YOUNG SAYS 'APPALLING' EXPERIENCES AT PREP SCHOOL GAVE HIM PTSD – The singer recounted how teachers looked at pupils' genitalia whilst they were showering|last=Whitehead|first=Joanna|work=[[The Independent]]|date=26 April 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-date=12 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512153314/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/will-young-school-ptsd-abuse-b1837462.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In an August 2024 interview with ''[[Attitude (magazine)|Attitude]]'' magazine, Young expressed his desire to start a family, specifying fostering children. He shared, "I think I'd be very good at being emotionally available and emotionally validating. That's the key for kids or young people."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/will-young-im-quite-interested-in-fostering-471646/|title=Will Young talks starting a family: 'I'm quite interested in fostering'|website=Attitude|last=Fox|first=Dale|date=15 August 2024|access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>

== Discography ==
{{Main|Will Young discography}}
* ''[[From Now On (Will Young album)|From Now On]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Friday's Child (album)|Friday's Child]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Keep On]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Let It Go (Will Young album)|Let It Go]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Echoes (Will Young album)|Echoes]]'' (2011)
* ''[[85% Proof]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Lexicon (Will Young album)|Lexicon]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Crying on the Bathroom Floor]]'' (2021)
* ''[[Light It Up (Will Young album)|Light It Up]]'' (2024)

== Tours ==
'''Headlining'''
* Will Young Live<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a14010/will-young-announces-solo-tour/ |title=Will Young announces solo tour |last1=Wilkes |first1=Neil |date=25 March 2004 |website=Digital Spy |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190630054217/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a14010/will-young-announces-solo-tour/ |archive-date=30 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2004)}}
* Keep On Live<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music/have-fame-will-travel-1539505 |title=Have fame, Will travel! |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=26 June 2006 |website=Evening Chronicle |publisher=Trinity Mirror plc |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190630054638/https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music/have-fame-will-travel-1539505 |archive-date=30 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2006)}}
* Let It Go Tour<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/exclusive-havent-hair-weave-wouldnt-998516 |title=Exclusive: I haven't had a hair weave.. but I wouldn't rule one out, says Will Young |last1=English |first1=Paul |date=20 November 2008 |website=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror plc |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190630055249/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/exclusive-havent-hair-weave-wouldnt-998516 |archive-date=30 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2008)}}
* The Hits Tour<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/review-will-young-at-nia-birmingham-108911 |title=Review: Will Young at NIA Birmingham |last1=Authi |first1=Jasbir |date=2 December 2009 |website=Birmingham Mail |publisher=Trinity Mirror plc |access-date=30 June 2019|archive-url=http://www.freezepage.com/1561875266NEJOLWOPNX?url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/review-will-young-at-nia-birmingham-108911 |archive-date=30 June 2019}}</ref> {{small|(2009–2010)}}
* [[Echoes Tour]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a328157/will-young-announces-uk-and-ireland-headline-tour.html|title=Will Young announces UK and Ireland headline tour|last1=Corner|first1=Lewis|date=4 July 2011|work=Digital Spy|access-date=16 August 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130820234746/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a328157/will-young-announces-uk-and-ireland-headline-tour.html|archive-date=20 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> {{small|(2011–2012)}}
* [[Love Revolution Tour]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/will-young-uk-tour-tickets-5823247 |title=Will Young announces 'Love Revolution' UK tour: Tickets on sale now |last1=Symester |first1=Chantelle |date=5 June 2015 |website=Daily Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror plc |access-date=5 August 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190630062221/https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/will-young-uk-tour-tickets-5823247 |archive-date=30 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2015)}}
* An Evening with Will Young<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/107478-will-young-announces-huge-uk-tour-heres-how-to-get-tickets/ |title=Will Young announces huge UK tour |last1=Crossley |first1=Becki |date=22 March 2019 |website=List.co.uk |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-date=1 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501184053/https://www.list.co.uk/article/107478-will-young-announces-huge-uk-tour-heres-how-to-get-tickets/ |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2019)}}
* An Intimate Evening with Will Young  {{small|(2021)}}
* 20 Years Tour  {{small|(2022)}}

'''Co-headlining'''
* Pop Idol Tour<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a6235/pop-idol-national-tour-dates/ |title=Pop Idol: National tour dates |last1=Wilkes |first1=Neil |date=13 February 2002 |website=Digital Spy |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190630053512/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a6235/pop-idol-national-tour-dates/ |archive-date=30 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2002)}} <small>(with [[Jessica Garlick]], Korben, [[Zoe Birkett]], [[Gareth Gates]], [[Hayley Evetts]], Laura Doherty, Aaron Bayley, [[Darius Danesh]] and [[Rosie Ribbons]])</small>
* Will & Gareth Live<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1939267.stm |title=Will to tour with Gareth |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=19 April 2002 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190630053726/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1939267.stm |archive-date=30 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{small|(2002)}} <small>(with Gareth Gates)</small>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Film and television credits
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Mrs Henderson Presents]]''
| Bertie
|
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]''
| Himself
| Appeared as the [[Star in a Reasonably Priced Car]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2010
| ''[[Skins (TV series)|Skins]]''
| T Love
| Episode: "Freddie"
|-
| ''[[Agatha Christie's Marple|Marple]]''
| Casey Croft
|Episode: "[[The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side]]"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| ''[[Bedlam (2011 TV series)|Bedlam]]''
| Ryan McAllister
|6 episodes
|-
| ''[[A Night with...|A Night with... Will Young]]''
| Himself
|Television special
|-
|2012
| ''Code Words''
| Real Mr. Smith
| Short film
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Highland Park (film)|Highland Park]]''
|Seamus
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''
| rowspan="3" | Himself
| [[Strictly Come Dancing (series 14)|Series 14]] contestant
|-
| 2019–2021
| ''[[Gardeners' World]]''
| 2 episodes<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00062hz|title=BBC Two – Gardeners' World, 2019, Episode 15|access-date=21 July 2019|archive-date=28 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728043319/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00062hz|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gardeners' World – 2021: Episode 24 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000z929 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904124509/https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000z929/gardeners-world-2021-episode-24 |archive-date=4 September 2021 |access-date=4 September 2021}}</ref>
|-
|2019
| ''[[CBeebies|Cbeebies Bedtime Stories]]''
|Television Special
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| ''[[The Masked Singer (British TV series)|The Masked Singer]]''
| Lionfish
| [[The Masked Singer (British TV series) series 3|Series 3]] contestant
|-
| ''Will Young: Losing My Twin Rupert''
| Himself
| Television special
|-
| 2024
| ''[[McDonald & Dodds]]''
| Greg
| Episode: "Jinxy Sings The Blues"
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
===BT Digital Music Awards===
Launched in 2002, the [[BT Digital Music Awards]] were held annually in the United Kingdom.<ref>
{{cite web |title=BT Openworld plans awards to support online music industry |url=http://business.highbeam.com/409141/article-1G1-92969148/bt-openworld-plans-awards-support-online-music-industry |access-date=7 July 2015 |date=3 October 2002 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419012844/http://business.highbeam.com/409141/article-1G1-92969148/bt-openworld-plans-awards-support-online-music-industry |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-access=  }}
</ref>
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
|2003
|rowspan=2|Himself
|rowspan=2|Artist of the Year
| {{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=6117|title=2003 Interactive Music Awards winners|website=Top40-Charts.com|access-date=25 April 2020|archive-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729220315/https://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=6117|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=4|2004
| {{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.btyahoo.com/dma04/winners_2004.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041204175336/http://www.btyahoo.com/dma04/winners_2004.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 December 2004|title=DMA &#124; Digital Music Awards 2004|date=4 December 2004|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| "[[Friday's Child (Will Young song)|Friday's Child]]"
| Best Music Video
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.btyahoo.com/dma04/music_video.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205011621/http://www.btyahoo.com/dma04/music_video.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 December 2004|title=DMA &#124; Digital Music Awards 2004|date=5 December 2004|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
{{end}}

===Brit Awards===
The [[Brit Awards]] are the [[British Phonographic Industry]]'s (BPI) annual pop music awards.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=24 February 2009 |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/about-bpi.aspx |title=About BPI |work=BPI |publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120124151/http://www.bpi.co.uk/about-bpi.aspx |archive-date=20 January 2013 }}</ref>
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| rowspan=3|[[2003 Brit Awards|2003]]
| "[[Anything Is Possible (Will Young song)|Anything is Possible]]"
|[[Brit Award for Song of the Year|British Single of the Year]]
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=3|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2655109.stm|title=Brit Awards 2003: Winners|date=21 February 2003|website=BBC News|access-date=19 February 2020|archive-date=22 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322002930/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2655109.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=4|Himself
|[[Brit Award for Best New Artist|British Breakthrough Act]]
| {{won}}
|-
|[[Brit Award for Best Pop Act|Best Pop Act]]
| {{nom}}
|-
|[[2004 Brit Awards|2004]]
| rowspan=2|[[Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist|British Male Solo Artist]]
|{{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3389755.stm|title=Brits 2004: The nominations|date=12 January 2004|website=BBC News|access-date=19 February 2020|archive-date=14 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414094605/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3389755.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=3|[[2005 Brit Awards|2005]]
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=3|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4162591.stm|title=Brits 2005: The winners|date=9 February 2005|website=BBC News|access-date=19 February 2020|archive-date=11 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225645/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4162591.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|"[[Leave Right Now]]"
| British Song of 25 Years
| {{nom}}
|-
|"[[Your Game]]"
|[[Brit Award for Song of the Year|British Single of the Year]]
| {{won}}
|-
|[[2006 Brit Awards|2006]]
| Himself
| [[Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist|British Male Solo Artist]]
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4600150.stm|title=Brit Awards 2006: The winners|date=15 February 2006|website=BBC News|access-date=19 February 2020|archive-date=14 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114013812/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4600150.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[2007 Brit Awards|2007]]
|"[[All Time Love]]"
|[[Brit Award for Song of the Year|British Single of the Year]]
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/4349/2007_brit_award_nominations/news%3famp=1|title=2007 BRIT Award Nominations|website=Stereogum.com|date=17 January 2007|access-date=19 February 2020|archive-date=19 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219192553/https://www.stereogum.com/4349/2007_brit_award_nominations/news/?amp=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[2009 Brit Awards|2009]]
| Himself
| [[Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist|British Male Solo Artist]]
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/full-list-of-awards-and-nominees-for-2009-brit-awards-1452048.html|title=Full list of awards and nominees for 2009 Brit Awards|date=20 January 2009|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=6 March 2020|archive-date=20 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920005705/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/full-list-of-awards-and-nominees-for-2009-brit-awards-1452048.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{end}}

===British LGBT Awards===
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| 2022
| Himself
| Music Artist
| Nominated
|<ref>{{cite web | url=https://britishlgbtawards.com/mtv-top-10-music-artists-2022/ | title=MTV – Top 10 Music Artists 2022 | date=15 February 2022 }}</ref>
{{end}}

===Gay Music Chart Awards===
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| rowspan=4|2015
| rowspan=4|"Brave Man"
| Best Transgender Music Video
| {{won}}
| rowspan=4|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gaymusicchart.blogspot.com/2016/03/gay-music-chart-awards-2015-results.html|title=Gay Music Chart: GAY MUSIC CHART AWARDS 2015 – THE RESULTS (details)|first=Gay Music|last=Chart|date=3 March 2016|access-date=7 April 2020|archive-date=2 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602080554/http://gaymusicchart.blogspot.com/2016/03/gay-music-chart-awards-2015-results.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Best Song/Music Video with a Message
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Song
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best British Music Video
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===Camerimage===
[[Camerimage]] is a Polish film festival dedicated to the celebration of [[cinematography]].
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
|2008
|"[[Changes (Will Young song)|Changes]]"
| Best Cinematography
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://videos.antville.org/stories/1864093/|title=antville Music Video Awards 2008 The Finalists !|website=videos.antville.org|access-date=7 April 2020|archive-date=1 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101071906/https://videos.antville.org/stories/1864093/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{end}}

===D&AD Awards===
[[Design and Art Direction]] (''D&AD'') is a British educational charity which exists to promote excellence in design and advertising.
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| rowspan=2|2009
| rowspan=2|"Changes"
| Best Music Video
| {{won|place=Bronze|Wood Pencil}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2009/music-videos/17116/changes/|title=Changes|website=dandad.org|access-date=25 April 2020|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022180301/https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2009/music-videos/17116/changes/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Best Cinematography
| {{won|place=Gold|Yellow Pencil}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2009/music-videos/17125/changes/|title=Changes &#124; Will Young/Sony &#124; D&AD Awards 2009 Pencil Winner &#124; D&AD|website=dandad.org|access-date=25 April 2020|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022175328/https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2009/music-videos/17125/changes/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{end}}

===Popjustice £20 Music Prize===
The [[Popjustice £20 Music Prize]] is an annual prize awarded by a panel of judges organised by music website [[Popjustice]] to the singer(s) of the best British pop single of the past year. To qualify, a single must be by (a) British artist(s) and have been released within the 12 months before the award nominations in July.
{{award table}}
! Ref.
|-
| 2004
| "Leave Right Now"
| rowspan=3|Best British Pop Single
| {{nom}}
| rowspan=3|
|-
| 2006
| "[[Who Am I (Will Young song)|Who Am I]]"
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2012
| "[[Jealousy (Will Young song)|Jealousy]]"
| {{won}}
{{end}}

===Silver Clef Awards===
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| 2004
| Himself
| Artist of the Year
| {{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk/silver-clef-award-winners-archive/|title=Silver Clef Award Winners Archive|access-date=27 May 2021|archive-date=13 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113214425/https://www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk/silver-clef-award-winners-archive/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{end}}

===Smash Hits Poll Winners Party===
The [[Smash Hits Poll Winners Party]] was an awards ceremony held annually by British magazine ''[[Smash Hits]]'', and broadcast on [[BBC One]].
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| rowspan=6|2002
| rowspan=4|Himself
| Best Newcomer
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=6|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pollwinnersparty.com/pollwinnersparty/vote.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205063623/http://www.pollwinnersparty.com/pollwinnersparty/vote.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 December 2004|title=smashhits.net|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Best Live Act
| {{nom}}
|-
| Most Fanciable Male
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Male Solo
| {{nom}}
|-
| "[[Evergreen (Westlife song)|Evergreen]]"
| Best Single
| {{nom}}
|-
| ''[[From Now On (Will Young album)|From Now On]]''
| rowspan=2|Best Album
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Friday's Child (album)|Friday's Child]]''
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pollwinnersparty.com/pollwinnersparty/2004/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041208150721/http://www.pollwinnersparty.com/pollwinnersparty/2004/|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 December 2004|title=smashhits.net – Poll Winner's Party 2004 – Vote|date=8 December 2004|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
{{end}}

===The Record of the Year===
[[The Record of the Year]] was an award voted by the UK public. The award began in 1998, and was televised on ITV before being dropped in 2006 after disagreements over the phone voting element. Since then it has been an online poll, administered through the Record of the Year website. In 2013, it was axed, signaling the end of the award.
{{award table}}
! Ref.
|-
| 2002
| "Evergreen"
| rowspan=2|[[The Record of the Year]]
| {{nom}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| 2004
| "Leave Right Now"
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===Top of the Pops Awards===
The Top of the Pops Awards were awarded annually by television programme ''[[Top of the Pops]]''.
{{award table}}
!Ref.
|-
| rowspan=4|2002
| rowspan=3|Himself
| Top Fan Site
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/fan_index.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030417185317/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/fan_index.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2003|title=BBC – Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2002|date=17 April 2003|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Best Pop Act
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/vote_pop.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030404052424/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/vote_pop.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 April 2003|title=BBC – Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2002 – Top Pop Act|date=4 April 2003|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Best Newcomer
| {{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/vote_newcomer.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030621133334/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/vote_newcomer.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 June 2003|title=BBC – Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2002 – Top Newcomer|date=21 June 2003|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| "Evergreen"
| Best Single
| {{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/vote_single.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030404120332/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/vote_single.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 April 2003|title=BBC – Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2002 – Top Single|date=4 April 2003|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=6|2003
| rowspan=4|Himself
| Singer of the Year
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/singer.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317175818/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/singer.shtml|url-status=live|archive-date=17 March 2005|title=BBC – All New Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2003|date=17 March 2005|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Best Newcomer
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/newcomer.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317175250/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/newcomer.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2005|title=BBC – All New Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2003|date=17 March 2005|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Best Official Site
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/site.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317150904/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/site.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2005|title=BBC – All New Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2003|date=17 March 2005|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Best Fan Site
| {{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/fansite.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317174649/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/fansite.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2005|title=BBC – All New Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2003|date=17 March 2005|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2|"Leave Right Now"
| Song of the Year
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/single.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317180015/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/single.shtml|url-status=live|archive-date=17 March 2005|title=BBC – All New Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2003|date=17 March 2005|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| Video of the Year
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/video.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317151004/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/awards/video.shtml|url-status=live|archive-date=17 March 2005|title=BBC – All New Top of the Pops – TOTP Awards 2003|date=17 March 2005|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
{{end}}

===UK Music Video Awards===
The [[UK Music Video Awards]] is an annual award ceremony founded in 2008 to recognise creativity, technical excellence and innovation in music videos and moving images for music.
{{award table}}
! Ref.
|-
| 2008
| rowspan=2|"Changes"
| [[UK Music Video Awards]] – People's Choice Award
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=5|
|-
| rowspan=3|2009
| rowspan=2|Best Pop Video
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=2|"[[Let It Go (Will Young song)|Let It Go]]"
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Cinematography in a Video
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=3|2012
| rowspan=3|"[[Losing Myself]]"
| Best Choreography in a Video
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Pop Video – UK
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=2|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.promonews.tv/news/2012/10/08/uk-music-video-awards-2012-here-are-nominations/15175|title=UK Music Video Awards 2012: here are the nominations!|website=Promonews.tv|access-date=5 August 2019|archive-date=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312173620/http://www.promonews.tv/news/2012/10/08/uk-music-video-awards-2012-here-are-nominations|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Best Telecine in a Video
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===Laurence Olivier Awards===
The [[Laurence Olivier Award]] is presented annually by the [[Society of London Theatre]] (SLT) to recognize excellence in professional theater. Named after the renowned British actor [[Laurence Olivier]], the awards are a UK equivalent of [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]'s [[Tony Award]]s.
{{award table}}
! Ref.
|-
| [[2013 Laurence Olivier Awards|2013]]
| ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]''
| [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical]]
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/winners/olivier-winners-2013/|title=Olivier Winners 2013|date=28 April 2013|access-date=19 May 2021|archive-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216152623/http://www.olivierawards.com/winners/view/item216388/olivier-winners-2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{end}}

==See also==
* [[List of British actors]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Will Young}}
* [http://www.willyoung.co.uk Official website]
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Will+Young Will Young] discography at [[Discogs]].
* {{IMDb name|1094099}}.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327021154/http://www.dailymusicguide.com/Reviews/will_young_newcastle_city_hall_review_161108_06112008_1730.aspx Will Young Tour Review] on the [[Daily Music Guide]], 6 November 2008.
* [https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-big-interview/10/ The Big Interview on] [[Monocle 24]] with [[Georgina Godwin]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081227021956/http://www.dailymusicguide.com/Interviews/will-young-interview-08112008-1624.aspx Interview with Will Young] on the Daily Music Guide, 8 November 2008.

{{Will Young}}
{{Pop Idol}}
{{UK best-selling singles (by year) 1990–2009}}
{{UK best-selling singles (by decade)}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Will Young
|list =
{{Brit British Single}}
{{Brit British Breakthrough}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, Will}}
[[Category:19 Recordings artists]]
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:20th-century English LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:21st-century English LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male singers]]
[[Category:People educated at the Arts Educational Schools]]
[[Category:People educated at Wellington College, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Actors from West Berkshire District]]
[[Category:Actors from Wokingham]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter]]
[[Category:Brit Award winners]]
[[Category:British feminist musicians]]
[[Category:BT Digital Music Awards winners]]
[[Category:English feminists]]
[[Category:English gay actors]]
[[Category:English gay musicians]]
[[Category:English LGBTQ singers]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English pop singers]]
[[Category:English twins]]
[[Category:Gay feminists]]
[[Category:British male feminists]]
[[Category:Gay singers]]
[[Category:Jive Records artists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from Berkshire]]
[[Category:Musicians from Berkshire]]
[[Category:People from Hungerford]]
[[Category:People with post-traumatic stress disorder]]
[[Category:Pop Idol winners]]
[[Category:RCA Records artists]]
[[Category:Twin male actors]]
[[Category:Twin musicians]]