成人论坛

Janice Long's new show sees a series of amazing artists taking the presenter on a trip around the places that mean the most to them. Inspired by such an affecting premise, we thought we'd take a look at some of our favourite artists who really, really love their home town.

The subject of Janice's first A Long Walk With episode, Holly Johnson talks about his affinity for Liverpool, weaving his way through the local church where he sang as a choirboy to Penny Lane and the venues he frequented at the beginning of his career.

It was during one of these meandering walks way back in 1983, en route to rehearsals, that Holly formulated the Frankie Goes To Hollywood hit Relax:

"When I was living up by Penny Lane, sometimes I'd live in a flat in Liverpool late and sometimes I'd visit my mum in Penny Lane," Holly told Janice, "and I remember walking towards rehearsals down the avenue - we used to rehearse all the way down Duke Street, behind the Hollywood Club - and I remember one day on my way to rehearsals 'Relax', the song, just popped in to my head and I was singing it to myself as a sort of way of getting to rehearsals quicker because I didn't have the bus fare. It just came into my head, all in one go, and I remember laughing to myself as I sang it, and that was it really. But it was definitely walking down the central reservation, Princes Avenue."

He's been dominating the airwaves with Galway Girl, but in reality Ed Sheeran hails not from Ireland but from Framlingham, a market town in Suffolk.

Ed is still mates will the same crew from High School, and has blessed us with what we are pretty sure is the only pop tune about rural Norfolk in Castle On The Hill. “This is a love song for Suffolk," he told Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, "because I don’t think anyone has ever done that.”

Taking Janice on a tour of Basildon, Alison Moyet revisits long-forgotten memories and sings the praises of her Essex upbringing.

"It's bizarre having such strong memories of a place," Alison recounted to Janice. "I was thinking of how much I loved growing up on a council estate. Council estates in the 60's and 70's had a different - not a vibe - a different reputation than they do now. It was brilliant because there was all young families and almost everyone lived in a council estate, they were well-kept, good communities."

Speaking about her weekends spent wiling away the hours roaming through the town centre, Alison revealed that one such weekend resulted in the making of the dress she'd go on to wear for her first TOTP performance...

"A girlfriend of mine - again from Basildon - when I didn't have any clothes and my mum lent me £30, we came down [to the town centre] and bought loads of fabric and went back to her bedsit and she run me up a dress. That's what I wore on . We all had to improvise like that because shopping was out of the question."

Steps star and solo singer Lisa Scott-Lee comes from Rhyl, a town on the North-East coast of Wales. She takes such pride in her home town that she has become a tourism ambassador for the seaside resort, which was once a very popular destination but has seen visitor numbers dip.

"Rhyl is my home town and the area still holds a very special place in my heart," said Lisa, making an official statement. "I have very happy memories of growing up in the area and I’m sure that anybody who comes to visit will also have happy memories." Well...only one way to find out!

The former Blue member, now back in the charts with his new song Nothing Without You, says his music has been greatly influenced by growing up in Manchester's Moss Side.

"I know first-hand that it’s a tight-knit neighbourhood" he told the Manchester Evening News, "Where the residents are proud of the community and heritage."

The former star has even spoken about wanting to bring ballroom dancing lessons to schools in the area. We say, what are you waiting for?

Adele's been loud and proud when it comes to showing love for her hometown of Tottenham, despite relocating to Los Angeles and, more recently, splashing out on a pad in swanky Sussex.

From writing a love letter to London in the form of 2007's Hometown Glory - 'I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque, I love to see everybody in short skirts, shorts and shades, I like it in the city when two worlds collide' - to penning a dedicated verse in River Lea (a song on her third studio album, 25) - 'When I grew up as a child I grew up on the River Lea, Now there's some of that water in me, To wit: I'll never change, Tottenham is my mind, body and soul', it's safe to say that distance hasn't altered Adele's fondness for her birthplace.

Sure, he's got enough money to live wherever he likes. But the One Direction lad turned solo star Louis Thomlinson has stayed pretty loyal to his South Yorkshire home town of Doncaster - claiming it keeps him grounded.

"I always ask how would my friends from Doncaster – who know nothing about music and fashion – would interpret an outfit or a song or whatever," he revealed to Noisey. "That has always really helped me. Because if you get to a stage where you disconnect from those friends from home, other people don’t really dare go there..."

He also made the town the surprise music video location for his new solo track Back To You, a collaboration with Bebe Rexha. “I love it. I feel like I owe people from Doncaster," he told the Sun. "I just get this feeling… I want to push Doncaster on everyone."

The singer/songwriter who first found fame on the 2010 edition of The X Factor is a proud Liverpudlian - and the city is pretty chuffed with her, too. While Rebecca Ferguson has now swapped Liverpool for Paris, there's a special place in her heart for her Scouse homeland.

“This is where I’m from," she said at an album launch party in her home city. "This is where people have supported me. When I was on The X Factor six years ago it was the Liverpool vote that got me where I am. It’s lovely." In fact, Rebecca even filmed a crisps advert on the streets of the city - and it doesn't get more loving that that.

Richard Hawley's love for Sheffield is well-documented.

Home to the Arctic Monkeys, Def Leppard, The Human League and Pulp, Sheffield's indisputably tied to some of the biggest Brit talent out there and it's this origin story that Richard is adamant on keeping alive.

Speaking to Acoustic Magazine, Richard confessed that he's Sheffield's biggest fan - "Why wouldn’t I be? It’s the place where I was born and raised. I chose to stay in Sheffield to plant my flag here." - and it's this love that's seen him lead a relatively understated life in his hometown...

"I don’t want to be away from my people, whoever and wherever they are," Richard told The Guardian. "Do you understand? They speak my tongue.”