Russell Watson is an international superstar with a real story to tell. Known as 'The Voice' due to his incredible yet untrained singing talent, his is an inspirational working class rags to riches tale of how a young man from Salford went on to become one of the world's biggest selling popular classical singers. While most stars of today find success early, Russell was working in a Salford factory at the age of 30. He spent the evenings singing in workingmen's clubs for extra cash to keep the bailiffs from his family's door. The Chairman of Manchester United gave him is big break in May 1999, the opportunity to sing at Old Trafford. His extraordinary performance was quickly followed by a record deal and his phenomenally successful debut album. He has since sold over five million albums, won four Brit awards, embarked on numerous sell-out world tours and entertained the Pope, Blair, Bush and the Emperor of Japan.

In 2002, he was invited to perform at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in front of a worldwide television audience of 1 billion people. But success has not come easy. His rapidly escalating fame led to a bitter divorce from his childhood sweetheart and his private life being splashed across the tabloids. His career was threatened when a polyp was found on his throat and only last autumn, he was struck down by a life-threatening brain tumour and had to undergo extensive brain surgery. He plunged into a deep depression and it was only the thought of leaving his two daughters fatherless that kept him from committing suicide. Now, having totally recovered from his debilitating illness, Russell reveals for the first time the true story of how an ordinary man with an extraordinary voice became one of Britain's favourite recording artists.