Will Young reveals unexpected career change he’s considering

Pop Idol winner and national LGBTQ+ treasure Will Young has revealed that he’s considering a big career change following the release of his 2024 record Light It Up.

While the 46-year-old “Leave Right Now” singer is best known for his enduring music career following his Pop Idol success in 2002, the singer-songwriter has long dabbled in other vocations.

He’s become an actor – scoring an Olivier Award nomination for his role as Emcee in Cabaret in 2013 – and has been something of an LGBTQ+ activist, being vocal about his experience coming out as gay while in the public eye during the 2000s.

A large part of his work has focussed around activism and philanthropy, with the “Jealousy” hitmaker supporting a range of causes, including mental health awareness, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and anti animal testing groups. He’s recently become the founder of dog food brand Miraculous Meals, with half of all profits supporting dog rescue centres.

Yet speaking to Metro, the two-time Brit Award winner revealed his potential plan for a complete career change, explaining that he’s been reading up on becoming a school counsellor.

“If I don’t end up fostering, I’ve been looking into training to become a school counsellor,” Young shared.

“I think there’s a huge need for school counsellors, and so I will definitely be in some sort of way aiding, helping and guiding younger people, because I’m of that age now.”

He continued: “I think it’s important for people to know that you can be parental, even if you don’t have kids. You can still find that part of you, and I think that’s really important for people to realise, and important for myself.”

While Young doesn’t yet have children of his own, he has been open about his interest in becoming a father figure, telling Attitude magazine last year that he is “interested” in fostering children.

“I’ve sort of got that in mind with the house because we’re set up very well for that,” he said.

“I think I’d be very good at being emotionally available and emotionally validating. That’s the key for kids or young people.”

Over the years, the singer has supported a number of children-focussed charities, including Children In Need, The Children’s Society, and young people’s charity Catch22.

Despite his interest in adding a whole new occupation to his CV, it’s unlikely that Will Young will be giving up his day job as an entertainer any time soon.

He’s already scheduled in for a number of festival performances later this year, including Brighton Pride alongside Mariah Carey in August, and a big show with LGBTQ+ ally Beverley Knight in Warwick in July.

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