No Marti, No Party: Former Wet Wet Wet star Pellow still stealing the show aged 60

Marti Pellow may have just celebrated his 60th birthday – but he’s showing no signs of taking things easy.

In fact, he’s busier than ever and is incredibly happy to be back on the road again, getting ready to bring his Love is All Around Tour to Edinburgh Castle on July 5.

“I played the castle a few times over my life with my old band, Wet Wet Wet, and I always had a fantastic time. Now to come back here again and get the pleasure of doing it – it’s always special to be able to sing amongst my own. It’s always a pleasure.”

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Marti quite a few times over the years and what I can say is he is one of the friendliest and most down-to-earth artists I have met.

He always asks about how you’re doing, your family and has time for everyone on set. You can’t help be charmed by Clydebank’s finest – and testament to that is the thousands of fans who pack out each and every one of his shows.

The personality is a draw but the music is still so loved, with Goodnight Girl, Sweet Little Mystery and, of course, Love is All Around, creating anthemic singalongs each and every time.

“I love that sense of connection when the audience do the singing too. I’m packing my wee suitcase with all those lovely songs that people remember me for, and that’s exactly what we love about the set.

“So make sure you bring your dancing shoes because I’m going to be ripping it up here,” he told me from a stunning balcony overlooking Edinburgh Castle.

Marti’s highs and lows of his career and personal life are well documented but it seems that he is in the best place now, ready to embrace every opportunity that comes his way – which is why he finally agree to take part in the Masked Singer.

“When I met the people who work there, I was very dubious, but they were tenacious and I was so taken by how passionate they were about the programme and how much I could get involved in the design of the wolf, I had to go for it.

“You have to invest in the character and go on a wee journey with them. I don’t know if the wolf will appear again though.”

Laughing, he added: “I thought I was doing quite good and then I looked online at what people were saying and it was ‘It’s Marti!’ ‘It’s unmistakably Marti.’ I think that was my auntie Gladys saying that!”

There’s a childlike joy in Marti’s eyes when you speak to him and he admitted that even though he’s just celebrated his big birthday, he still feels incredibly young at heart.

In between gigs, he’s recording new music at a studio in France and gearing up for a run of shows later in the year, including at Glasgow’s Hydro on November 1.

“No Marti, no party” is the chant which echoes around every venue you see Marti in and thankfully, it seems that party is set to continue for many years to come.