When Matt Goss was told he could have someone with him for the recording of the launch show of Strictly Come Dancing, he knew in a heartbeat that it was his father he wanted to join him.
"Dad always worried about me when fame first struck. I was young then, but I need him just as much now and always will," says the star, who achieved huge chart success in the 1980s in pop band Bros alongside his twin brother Luke.
"When they said I could have somebody on the studio floor with me, I immediately knew I needed my dad. He gives me strength and I trust his opinion." Matt's father Alan reveals their bond has never been stronger.
They are now closer than ever
"Matt said: 'I'm sending a plane to bring you to London,'" he says. "I knew instantly he wasn’t talking about future plans, he meant immediately. I can't tell you how proud I am of him."
After a successful solo career – his latest album is entitled The Beautiful Unknown – and an extraordinary 11- year residency in Las Vegas, Matt returned to the UK this summer.
"It has been wonderful to return, but I am only truly home now, with Dad by my side," says the singer, who turns 54 this week.
READ: Strictly Come Dancing star Matt Goss reveals heartache
It is a sentiment his 78-year-old father clearly appreciates.
"It's a long time since I’ve been able to hug my boy. I live north of the Pyrenees in south-west France. When his call came saying he needed me, nothing could stop me," he says.
His son's relentless performance schedule in the US has allowed for only occasional visits over the last decade, made worse by the pandemic.
"I hadn't seen Matt since before Covid. Calls are one thing, but to hug him is totally different."
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