Enjoy Wolverhampton Live: Matt Cardle talks ahead of free city centre show

The X-Factor winner will be performing in the city centre at Enjoy Wolverhampton Live! this evening.

Now returning for its third year, the event will see Cardle as well as a host of other artists including Andy Bennett of Ocean Colour Scene take to the stage.

Ahead of the Queen Square show, Matt – who recently released his fourth record Time to Be Alive – said he's looking forward to heading to the Black Country.

"We've got loads of dates confirmed which are yet to be announced," he told the Express & Star. "This is a chance to get out and test some of the new music out.

"One thing is recording and writing an album but then the next thing is seeing how it goes down.

"It's going to be a great opportunity to play in Wolverhampton. I must have been there a few times before.

"I like the Midlands – especially Birmingham – we always go there. The crowds are always particularly good crowd.

"We'll be mixing the set-list up. The album hasn't been out that long so we need to give people the chance to check it out."

The 35-year-old singer, from Southampton, won the ITV talent show back in 2010 and went on to release three albums in as many years.

But he plummeted to huge lows – almost killing himself along the way – when he developed an addiction to alcohol as well as both prescription and illegal drugs.

After spending time in rehab, Cardle has pulled himself back – and his experiences have inspired the new material.

He added: "I've done three albums in three years before that, I needed some time away.

"I got myself in a bit of bother with alcohol and prescription drugs and needed to go to rehab.

"I took some time to do some theatre stuff and just really jumped into writing. I had so much to write about and it was going to be so easy to draw on it.

I didn't want to write another regurgitated heartbreak album, which I was writing about before. Something had to happen and then low and behold I ended up in that situation.

"I'm weirdly thankful for it – I've taken the power back into my own hands now."

If it wouldn't have been down to Wolverhampton's Beverley Knight, he might not have ended up in theatre.

The soul singer got in touch with Cardle and urged him to give it a try.

Together, the pair ended up London's West End stage for hit production Memphis.

He said: "She is amazing – the one that got me into acting in the West End.

"We had mutual friends. I'd never acted before and never thought it was something I Shoulda Woulda Coulda – as Bev would say so herself.

"I went and saw the show and she was just unbelievable. At the start I wasn't sure but one thing led to another and it worked out.

"I couldn't have done it without her. She is such an amazing woman."

Cardle's new album, Time To Be Alive, features debut single Desire with I'm Not Letting Go Yet set to be released next month.

Day-long event Enjoy Wolverhampton Live has been organised by the Wolverhampton BID and funded by city centre businesses.

It will give revellers an evening outdoor concert to remember from 6pm until 10pm. The entertainment will kick off with Sweet Female Attitude featuring Leanne, followed by Owen Paul.

Andy Bennett from Ocean Colour Scene will treat the crowd to some of the biggest tracks of the bands phenomenal success.

Before the final act of the evening Matt Cardle grace the stage and the audience.

For more information go to enjoywolverhampton.com/special-event/enjoy-wolverhampton-live