Olly Murs: ‘I regret things I say but I’m more daring than ever’

With a career spanning 15 years and the legacy of a British pop titan already set in stone, you’d be forgiven for assuming Olly Murs might be a bit too big for his boots—he’d have every right to be.

But, in fact, he’s still just like the rest of us. And yes, that includes the awkward moments of opening his mouth when he really shouldn’t.

The now chart-topping musician rose to fame in 2009 with his cheeky chap persona on The X Factor, finishing as a runner-up but proceeding to break through as one of the country’s most endearing entertainers.

Now, in the latter half of 2025, fresh off his nationwide tour and weeks after becoming a dad to two, Olly is gearing up to release his eighth album, titled Knees Up.

He’s also basking in the glory of his latest single and the first from the record, Bonkers, which embodies arguably his most authentic lyrics to date.

Speaking exclusively to Metro as he reflects on his career, Troublemaker Olly reveals how he’s mastered the art of simply… ‘not giving a f**k’.

In his newest song, one excruciatingly relatable line reads: ‘The things that I think in me head / Are coming out my mouth instead’—we’ve all been there.

So, it seemed only right to probe him on the most ‘bonkers’ thing he’s ever said, to which the answer might shock you.

‘I do always say things that I instantly regret,’ Olly, 41, admits. ‘The one that springs to mind, etched in my memory, is when I was in America with Wrighty (Mark Wright) and said to a bouncer on a night out, when I didn’t have my ID, “Why don’t you just Google me?”

‘That was probably the most bonkers thing I’ve ever said, or the most arrogant! I was doing it sort of half-jokingly, like, well, I haven’t got my ID, mate; I am literally in my thirties.

‘I don’t think he did (Google me). He laughed, and then we weren’t allowed in anyway.’

It’s exactly this no-filter, laddish banter that has helped Olly maintain his loyal fanbase over the years, and he’s proud to still be considered ‘the boy next door’.

‘I am still a bit of a lad, really,’ he declares. ‘I don’t think my roots have changed too much. Yeah, my lifestyle can be a bit chaotic, but any of my close mates know I haven’t changed.

‘Walking down the street can sometimes be hard, but I still go out, I still use the Tube in London, I still use black cabs. Yeah, sometimes I get driven places, but I never got sucked into the industry I’m in too much, you know?

‘Don’t get me wrong, it has its perks, but my fans, my family, and everyone around me have kept me level-headed. I don’t think I’ve ever jumped above my station too much.’

Olly is keen for this authenticity to shine through on his new album, which drops on November 21.

Quizzed on what the Knees Up chapter represents, having described it as ‘Olly 2.0′, the Dear Darlin’ hitmaker says he’s finally releasing the music he’s ‘always wanted’ to share.

‘The last 15 years of songs have been truly amazing, and I’ve loved it all,’ Olly declares, having secured five UK number one albums to date.

‘But this new era of Olly 2.0 is the first time in my career I’ve done an album that I wanted to do, not the album I think people want me to do.

‘It’s still me, obviously, but it’s been influenced a lot by the early albums I did.’

As for the writing process, Olly recalls having far stricter limitations to his lyrical content in his twenties: ‘My friend said to me, when he first heard it, “It feels like we’re listening to you 15 years ago, but this is you now as an adult, mature, and not giving a f**k.”

‘There was a time when I was writing my first album, like, “Oh my God, I can’t mention tequila!” One time, I wrote about being in a strip club; it’s like, “Ooh, you can’t write that!” But on this album, I was more daring. I’m more mature; I can have fun.’

Not only that, but the singer is happier than ever in his personal life with wife Amelia, generating a ‘freedom with how [he] can express [himself]’.

‘Everything in my life is so positive right now, and I want that to continue, but in terms of writing, it gives you so much room to be playful.’

So, as he approaches two decades in the business and that golden 10th album, what exactly does the future look like for Olly Murs?

Well, one thing’s for sure: it comes without pressure.

‘I loved what I did back in the day, but I was very squeaky clean. Now, I’m a bit rough around the edges! I’ve been around the block, so I can have more fun.

‘When artists come out with their first album, there’s the pressure of, is it gonna connect? Are people gonna like it? Are people gonna buy into it? And then when you’ve done it for seven or eight years, those sorts of things don’t f***ing bother me anymore.

‘I wish I could get a number one record, and I hope I do, but, at the same time, if I don’t, I don’t care. I’ve picked up a number one before.

‘I’ll be honest with you, this album makes me feel like I’m doing it all for the first time again. This is a new, fresh start.’

And for those keen to follow his career for years to come, you needn’t worry, because Olly has no intention of slowing down.

‘I hope it never ends. I hope it continues forever. I just love what I’m doing right now. It’s given me a new lease of life, and it feels great.’

Olly Murs’ new single, Bonkers, is out now. His eighth studio album, Knees Up, lands on November 21.

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