INTERVIEW: Peter Andre
The Aussie pop legend talks marriage, kids and why he prefers women who cover up…
Rex FeaturesGLAMOUR: What’s the best piece of parenting advice you can give to others?
Peter: “Put your children first. If you put them first you’re a great parent, full stop. There [are] no rules or regulations on how to do it. If they’re first, that means you’re becoming selfless and your kids are first, and that means you are a great parent.”
WennG: What do you want your kids to do when they grow up? Do you want them to follow in your footsteps into show business?
P: “Well, Tiaamii’s going to be a nun. I’ve already told her. It’s funny, I interviewed a nun once for the Channel 5 show, and I asked her how old you have to be to become a nun. She said: ‘I think your daughter’s slightly too young, however, we do have youngish students.’ And I said, ‘Oh really? How old?’ She said: ‘About 13.’ I went, ‘Oh’. By that stage my daughter is not going to listen to me. ‘Can we not do it now?’ She said, ‘No, I’m afraid not’…
Bigpicturesphoto.com“…My son, I think try and keep him off the TV. He’s a performer through and through. That’s what he wants to do. He wants to be on stage, he’s a little bit obsessed with a young Michael Jackson because he hears his voice and he sees himself in it.”
Rex FeaturesG: Would you ever perform a song with your kids?
P: “I’ve never thought about it, but it would be amazing. There was a famous Greek singer called Barrio who did that song with his son? And it was like the same voice but in different keys. It was just beautiful.”
Rex FeaturesG: What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for a woman?
P: “I think, when it was Valentine’s Day, I flew her to Paris, and I know it sounds a bit corny, but it was very romantic. And once I flew her to New York, and that was amazing. Getting everything ready well in advance, finding out through the year what they like, are they a flower person, are they not, do they like certain things or not, what kind of foods do they like... That’s the one time of the year I think you’ve really got to put thought into it. It’s all about them. Birthdays? You know, not so much. And Christmas is all family, and you do more for the kids. Valentine’s Day is all about them.”
Rex FeaturesG: What would a woman ideally wear to impress you?
P: “I like women to look classy. I like there to be something left to the imagination. Like Angelina Jolie. You know she’s got a great body but you don’t always see it. I also like it when women wear really casual things. When they dress up I like them to look… I think more is less. If she shows her legs she shouldn’t show her top, and if she shows her top, she shouldn’t show her legs. I know I can’t talk because I’ve dated people who can dress like that, but still…”
Rex FeaturesG: What do you look for in an ideal partner?
P: “I think it depends what it is. If you’re just looking for someone to be in a relationship with and not think future-future, then… I don’t really have a type, I just think whoever, you know? Someone that’s cool and can get on with your friends, goes with the flow. Loves family, loves hanging out with your friends, loves sight-seeing, loves doing crazy, spontaneous things. But then, if it’s marriage, then the first thing I think of is how are they with kids.”
Rex FeaturesG: What is the best piece of relationship advice you’ve ever been given?
P: “Don’t get married. But...[I didn’t follow it]No. I don’t regret it of course, because I’ve got the best children in the world. I think the best bit of advice I got was make mistakes, but learn from them. It’s hard when you’re younger, but as you get older, you get it.”
Rex FeaturesG: Who was your celebrity crush growing up?
P: “The first one was when I was really young, like about 10, was Cindy Crawford. I loved Cindy Crawford. And Elle Macpherson I always had a bit of a crush on. Still do, and she’s like 40-something these days. Then it was Halle Berry – you can tell my tastes are very different. Then after Halle Berry it sort of died and I refused to have a celebrity crush. And then recently it’s been Jessica Alba. And Jennifer Aniston after Horrible Bosses. And she’s a Greek girl like me."
Rex FeaturesG: You’ve done I’m A Celebrity…, but would you ever consider doing Celebrity Big Brother?
P: “Big Brother has never appealed to me. It’s not that I don’t like the show, but with I’m A Celebrity…, you have to do challenges to earn food, you have to really live in the jungle. There’s an element of fear factor and survivor, that’s why I love [it]. Big Brother for me… You’re going to be in a position where you’re going to get bored, where all you’re going to start doing is complaining about each other. I don’t see… It’s a very successful show, and Richard Desmond owns it, and he’s one of my friends, so I can’t say anything bad.”
Rex FeaturesG: Do you watch TOWIE or Made In Chelsea? Are you a fan?
P: “No, and Amy Childs has battered me for over a year for not watching it, even though she’s not in it now. But no, I’ve never seen it. I’m just never around at that time to watch it.”
Rex FeaturesG: What is your TV guilty pleasure? What do you love watching?
P: “It’s on the Discovery Channel. I’m such a geek. I love all the stuff like nature programmes. All the stuff my dad used to like. And I like The First 48. All the stuff that’s about true crime and stuff. Dog The Bounty Hunter’s cool! And also Air Crash Investigations and things like, which I wasn’t really into, but lately… I don’t know what it is. Maybe it didn’t help that we watched it the night before flying back from skiing, and we were talking about air crash disasters… I love all real life stuff.”
Rex FeaturesG: How would you describe your personal style?
P: “My personal style is me. I can’t explain it. I love the way other people dress, but I can never put it together like other people put it together. I don’t like bright colours. Occasionally I’ll wear something bright. I don’t like big labels. For smart, I like plain and slick, and for casual, I love nothing more than jeans and a trackie top or a pair of joggers. That’s me – I have two completely different styles.”
Rex FeaturesG: Who are your style icons?
P: “For going out, I look at people like George Clooney and what he wears. He’s super strict. David Beckham is a style icon, but only he can pull it off… I can’t really plan my wardrobe. Sometimes I have to wear suits and I don’t always enjoy it. You know when you have to wear a really tight dress and you can’t really breathe in it? Well, not me personally, but as a woman… You know what I mean.”
Rex FeaturesG: If you were Prime Minister for the day, what’s the first thing you’d do?
P: “Sort out taxes. Lower them so that people can afford to live. And lower fuel prices. People can’t afford to live. They need to at least be earning enough that they’re not blowing it all on taxes and fuel prices to get [to work]. They might as well be working in an air conditioned unit across the road from where they live for the rest of their lives. They’re [the government] going to be making money in other ways, so put the prices up in something else that doesn’t affect everybody. There [are] ways.”
G: Tell us about Galaxy Quick Reads. How did you get involved?
P: “A lot of people have fallen out of love with reading, and I was one of them. That’s what made me very interested in this. It can be quite daunting for people… For example, Harry Potter, right? The books were getting bigger and bigger each book, to a point where I’m thinking 'I can’t read this!', and by the time the next one's out, the movie is out, so I just go and watch that..."
Rex Features“…My favourite author is John Grisham, but his books are really big, so I do one a year. In the Galaxy Quick Read campaign they get well-known authors to come in and write specifically (short stories) of around 100-120 pages. Perfect.”
Rex FeaturesG: Why is reading so important?
P: “I think it’s a very social thing, even if you’re sitting in the library reading by yourself. I think reading is educational. I think it stimulates your mind – healthy body, healthy mind – and as you get older, it’s not just about your body any more... So I think it’s a great stimulation and a great social thing to have. To discuss things about books and to be able to read with your kids. That’s probably what got me into reading more as a whole, because of the kids. I want to know that I can read to them. Imagine knowing that I can’t?”
Rex FeaturesG: What’s the last book you read?
P: “A self-help book by James Caan. The reason why is because a lot of people in life drink loads of booze or do stuff because they want to escape reality, because they don’t like reality. Because in reality, you’ve got a lot of people under pressure, so people are escaping reality all the time. So books like that are really good for me because I think there’s got to be a way that you just love reality. There has to be. So I would advise reading those kind of books.”
PA PhotosG: What are your plans for 2012?
P: “I’ve got loads coming up. Got the reality show starting to film this week, I’ve got a new format show for ITV. They’ll announce what it is soon. I’m starting to record a new album at the end of next month which will be out later this year. I’ve got a tour at the end of the year which includes the O2 Arena. My coffee shop, I’ve opened the first one and I’m opening the second one now, New York Coffee Club, in Brighton. I want to expand it all over the UK…”
PA Photos“…I’ve got an online venture that I’m doing at the moment called Go Wild Deals. Basically, they’re the best online deals, it’s the recession, people pay less but they get the same stuff. We buy it from the wholesalers same price, but the mark-up is smaller. But we’ll sell more. Oh, I have a perfume and calendar as well this year. I’ll do loads and loads and then I’ll be like, thank you very much. Good bye.”
Peter Andre supports the Galaxy Quick Reads charitable campaign encouraging the nation to ‘fall in love with reading.’ Galaxy Quick Reads cost £1.99 from major supermarkets and book stores www.quickreads.org.uk
