It’s two years since Joe McElderry won the hearts of everyone’s mum and stormed to victory in X Factor. Helen Geraghty caught up with him ahead of an appearance in Kent.

A version of the Wham! song Last Christmas recorded by that lovely Joe McElderry? Who could resist?

When I speak to Joe, about to head off on a 16-date tour which will start off at Margate Winter Gardens, he is feeling very Christmassy.

The lad from South Shields, 20, has finished recording his third studio album, Classic Christmas, to be released at the end of this month.

And his version of Last Christmas, a track from the album, looks likely to challenge this year’s X Factor winner for the number one spot when he releases it as a single on Monday, December 19.

Don’t underestimate the power of Joe, with his big hazel eyes with little yellow flecks in.

He might not have crossed your personal radar since his post-X Factor debut single, The Climb. It wasn’t long before he parted ways with Syco, Simon Cowell’s label.

But he has his own devoted fanbase and his last album, Classic, which included versions of Nessun Dorma and Time to Say Goodbye, reached No 2 in August and was certified Gold in the UK.

Joe, now signed to Universal Music, says he still has good memories of time spent under the Cowell umbrella and also of Wide Awake, the album released at that time, but he doesn’t regret what he calls “parting ways”.

He says: “I always try to listen to people who come to the shows and they are the people I am aiming at. I loved Wide Awake and it is nice to have that album forever. But I wanted to test the boundaries. We parted ways.

“My second album, Classic, shows an amazing repertoire. It took me in a new direction with timeless songs. But there was one thing that nearly didn’t go to plan. I was filming the video for Time to Say Goodbye in Hackney, right at the start of the riots in the summer.

“We were filming in some kind of derelict building when we heard all this banging. At the same time someone turned on the news on his laptop and we realised we were a street away from the riots. We were fine, but there was a car there waiting to rush me away. They look after me well!”

People heading to see Joe in Margate can expect a mix of songs, his voice now coached by fellow Universal artist and mentor, world-renowned Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón.

He says: “You are going to get pop stuff, classical stuff, soft ballads, a bit of everything. It is just a fun show. I put the set together myself and I wanted to include everything everyone wanted to hear from my albums.”

And what does the future hold for Joe?

He said: “I wrote a bit of my own stuff in the past and I’m going to try and take a bit of time to do some more. I need to chill out and really try.”

And he’ll maintain his solid links with his home in South Shields. In a 60 Seconds slot for the What’s On website he was asked to make a peremptory choice between his beloved mentor Cheryl Cole and his inspirational gran, one-time singer Hilda Joyce, often mentioned in the X Factor days.

He said: “That’s awful! I love Cheryl… but, awww… it’s got to be Hilda Joyce, my little old nan.”

Joe McElderry will be at Margate Winter Gardens at 7.30pm on Sunday, November 6. Tickets from £23. Seewww.margatewintergardens.co.ukor ring the box office on 01843 296111.

For the full 60 Seconds slot, click here.