From the moment we first fell in love with him as talented teacher Will Schuester on Glee, Matthew Morrison established himself as one of those rare triple treats that can sing, dance and act his socks off.
Currently showing off his fancy footwork as a dance captain alongside Cheryl, Oti Mabuse and Todrick Hall on The Greatest Dancer, which crowns its second winner this Saturday, he’s back to showing off his voice again next month with the release of a new album. Disney Dreamin’ With Matthew Morrison is a collection of classic Disney songs, an album he made with his two-year-old son Revel in mind.
“Every note, every word, I sang for my son,” says Matthew, who married his singer-songwriter wife Renee in 2014 after meeting her at Elton John’s White Tie & Tiara Ball in 2011.
Curtis Pritchard divides fans as he makes debut on The Greatest Dancer as receptionist
Strictly's Oti Mabuse 'asks for older partner' after Kelvin Fletcher drama as her husband is set to join BBC show
A devoted family man, Matthew travels with his son and wife everywhere, so they’ve all been based here in the UK during filming for The Greatest Dancer.
“We usually split our year between LA and New York but now the UK has become like a second home to us, too,” Matthew tells OK! as he sits down with us to discuss life as a dad, a potential Glee reunion and why he’ll never be a judge on Strictly Come Dancing…
You’ve dedicated your new album to your son. How has becoming a father changed you?
I never knew what love really meant before I became a dad. I didn’t know that promise of unconditional love before, so it’s really just been getting to know a side of myself that I’ve never experienced previously. Revel is just the most incredible child.
He is two at the moment – are you going through the terrible twos?
Everyone talks about terrible twos but I call it the inquisitive twos because he is just kind of curious about everything. He’s pushing back and testing boundaries, but that’s what you do at two, but we just let him guide us and follow his cues. I think kids tend to pick up on your energy and we’re pretty chilled.
Is he showing any signs of following in your entertainer footsteps?
He is a big dancer. He loves dancing and we have a dance party every morning when we wake up. He also has this big microphone that we bought him but he hasn’t really taken to singing yet. It’s still early days.
Would you like more kids?
We would love one more child. I’m an only child so I was cool with one but my wife is from a big family so she would love to have several children. So we’re compromising on two!
Do you like spending a lot of time in the UK?
I love it. I really have enjoyed getting to know London in a personal way now, and making friends here. Even my son has friends here now. The only thing I don’t get about British life is cricket. I’m a big football fan, have been my entire life, but I absolutely do not get cricket.
It’s The Greatest Dancer final this week. Who is the most competitive out of the dance captains?
Oti is the feistiest one and she talks a big game, which I love and we just laugh at her, but Cheryl, she’s got this fight. She’s been in this business a long time and she had to fight through so many different challenges and adversities and she always comes out on top. She’s got that real hungry spirit.
Does it ever get quite tense between you all backstage?
Never. The other weekend I criticised one of Cheryl’s groups and she was upset on the show, but then we were just hugging afterwards. We are such a family, the four of us, and we absolutely have a great time with each other. It’s a joy to be with them, we have become close.
You’ve previously said you want to set up a playdate with your boy and Cheryl’s son, Bear. Has that happened yet?
We’re trying to do it on set because Cheryl and Bear live far out of the city. Revel and Bear have both been to the The Greatest Dancer set but on different days so they keep missing each other. We’re going to have be a little more strategic with that.
Have you seen Alesha’s baby girl Anaya Safiya on set yet?
She has, she’s gorgeous. Just like her momma.
Curtis Pritchard joined the show this series. Are you a fan of Love Island?
I’ve never seen an episode. It probably wouldn’t be my kind of thing anyway but, honestly, since I became a dad, all I watch is animated stuff these days!
Cheryl reveals Oti Mabuse is a ‘dirty player’ during new season of The Greatest Dancer
Cheryl admits to feeling 'mum guilt' as she opens up on one of son Bear's passions
It will be five years since Glee ended next month. Do you think we’ll ever see a reunion?
I think the only thing we could do is a concert if it was benefiting a charity or something, that would be a great way to get us all together. I think Glee happened at such a perfect time, and I don’t think it could be recreated now and have the impact it had at the time.
It was one of the shows that just hit right at the right moment.
Would you like to come back for a third series of The Greatest Dancer?
I don’t know if there will be one yet. We haven’t heard anything, I think we should probably find out relatively soon. But I love the show and for me it’s been an amazing journey.
Would you fancy being a judge on Strictly if a spot on the panel came up?
I would say no because I don’t know that world of dance very well. I am a big dancer but I have never really got into the Latin and ballroom world, so don’t feel like I could judge it. I wouldn’t want to put myself in that situation and have to bulls**t my way through it, I’d want to feel like I knew what I was talking about.
Disney Dreamin’ with Matthew Morrison is out on 6 March. The first single, Go The Distance, is out now. The Greatest DancerLive final is on Saturday 7 March at 6.30pm on BBC One.
Source: Read Full Article