As a kid I absolutely hated peas. One night Mum was working and Dad made shepherd’s pie and something else with peas for tea. I ate everything except the peas. He insisted “Eat them! Eat them!” and I said “I’m going to be sick! I’m going to be sick!” and as I put the fork to my mouth, all this sick came out – I’d got myself in such a state. He wasn’t very sympathetic: “Oh grow up. You need to eat your greens.”
Sundays were great. Mum and Dad had the time to be together and cook and all the family came round – nan, granddad, auntie, uncle, and of course there was me, my sister Fay and my twin Ben. After dinner, Simon Mayo’s countdown would come on the radio and we’d dance and perform to the Top 40. My brother would pretend to be Michael Jackson and me and Fay were backing singers.
I’ve been estranged from Ben since I missed his wedding [in 2009] – I had to be at X Factor for my semi-final. Things still haven’t been sorted. Maybe a Sunday roast together would fix it all.
When I worked as a recruitment consultant I’d buy a homemade scotch egg from the butcher at lunch, then go to the newsagent and buy a different chocolate bar each day. I’d decided to start top left and work to the right, then did the same on the next shelf down … and I ate 300 different bars systematically over a year.
Until I moved out of my parents’ home at 27, I didn’t really care about kitchens, even though I’d spent three years in a call centre selling them. I’d begin: “Hello, is that Mr Smith? How are you? The reason I’ve called today is, I’m looking to offer you a 50% no-obligation quote for a kitchen.” Mostly the response was “No.”
Hanging above my main kitchen top is a big sign saying “I Kiss Better Than I Cook”, which I think is very true of me.
Recently Simon Cowell invited me to dine at his house in London and offered me the X-Factor co-presenter job. He’d cooked me a curry – well, I’m sure he didn’t cook it, his team did – and then we had a shepherd’s pie so it was pretty random.
When I was in the X Factor house in Golders Green as a contestant, I remember labelling everyone’s cupboard and fridge space, so everyone knew their place and food. While stressing about the show I was trying to cook elaborate things from scratch – we all were – when really we should have just gone to Nando’s.
The thing I really dislike is raw tomatoes. If you knew me for the rest of my life, you’d never see me eat a raw tomato. Never have, never will. OFM
Olly Murs will be headlining the MTV Stage at this year’s V Festival, 22-23 August
