Behind the wheel with… Russell Watson

Words: Danny Scott

Where’s your favourite road trip destination? 
If I’m in a car, it’s usually for work, but on the rare occasion when I’m driving for pleasure, my wife Louise and I always head up to Braemar and the Cairngorms. There’s a wonderful sense of solitude – just you and the world – when you get on to those wild roads in Scotland. I’d love to do that journey in the McLaren 650S but, for the sake of practicality, I tend to stick with the Bentley Bentayga. 

What’s your ultimate travel song? 
If the scenery is right, I go for something with a classical theme... John Barry always seems to hit the spot. But if I’m driving through Manchester on a rainy Saturday afternoon, it’s got to be a bit of Oasis or The Stone Roses. And, yes, I do like to sing along in the car. Quite loudly. One of my drivers bought himself a set of ear plugs! 
 
Where’s the number one place on your bucket list? 
I’ve been to Italy many times but never had the chance to drive up – or down! – the Stelvio Pass, on the northern border with Switzerland. From a distance, it looks like a snake carved into the side of a mountain... more than 15 miles of hairpins and breathtaking views. Now, for that journey, it would have to be the McLaren with the top down and a bit of canzone napoletano on the stereo. 

What is your most dramatic road trip story? 
Back in the early days, I bought a second-hand Alfa Romeo 33 Cloverleaf. It was that gorgeous Alfa red and it looked beautiful. Unfortunately, that was its only good point… Mechanically, it had a few problems and one afternoon I was on the motorway, doing 50 in the contraflow. Bang, scrape, sparks everywhere. The left front wheel came off, detached from the car and set off up the road on its own. I had no brakes, no steering and ground to a halt in the traffic cones. Had I been doing 70mph on a normal road, who knows what would have happened.  

What are your three packing essentials and why? 
I used to take honey, lemon and ginger for my throat, but it gets provided these days. I have a small suitcase with two stage suits and two white shirts... One for the gig, one for emergencies. And in my dressing room at every gig you’ll see my little photo frame full of pictures of the kids. That’s the last thing I look at before I go on stage. They’re my lucky charm. 

What’s your dream car? And where in the world would you most want to drive it?
I’ve owned one or two of them, but the McLaren is a constant joy and, when it comes to putting a smile on my face, it takes some beating. Where would I drive it? As a young man, I would have said Silverstone or Monza, but I’ve done a few track days and, in a car that tops 200mph, it can get very scary. 

What’s been your craziest travel experience to date?
I was singing at the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo, and we were met at the airport by a long wheelbase Mercedes that had the biggest snow chains I’ve ever seen. I thought we must be heading for the mountains, but no... That’s just what you need for normal snow in Scandinavia. I have never seen anything like it, piled 25- or 30-feet high at the side of the road. And the driver was not hanging about. Let me assure you that the Norwegians know how to make snow chains! 
 
Do you think you’re a good traveller?
It’s been part of the job for so long now that... Well, if you don’t like travelling, you wouldn’t do this for a living. 
 
Russell Watson’s UK-wide 25th anniversary Evolution Tour will run throughout October and November 2025. Tickets are on sale here