‘My voice keeps bailiffs from door’

Mar 4 2008 by Cathy Owen, South Wales Echo

All about me

SINGER and actor Aubrey Parsons, 39, is married to Mariane. They live in St Athan and have two children, Elinor, eight, and Genevieve, five.

What’s your earliest childhood memory?
Sticking a hair-pin into the bar of an electric fire. I wanted to see what happened – it blew me across the room. That split-second taught me a lot about electricity.

Who was your first crush?
Tallullah (Jodie Foster) in Bugsy Malone – there was something dirty and dangerous about her that I liked.

What’s your most valued/ treasured possession?
My Voice. It’s what keeps the bailiffs from the door!

What was your last white lie?
I promised my eldest daughter that she would have a Nintendo DS for Christmas and that Santa had one ready for her thinking I would be able to get hold of one without any problem. I’m sure many people were in the same situation. Of course they were impossible to get hold of. I knew there would be ramifications on Christmas Day so I ended up buying a Wii instead – now that was a flipping costly white lie!

How do you spend your spare time?
I love fishing, clay pigeon shooting, and reading – but not at the same time... However, most of my spare time is spent learning songs.

Do you or did you ever have a nickname?
My real name is ‘Matthew Parsons’. There used to be a cartoon on kids TV in the ‘80s about a little orange inventor called Aubrey. Kids at school thought it would be funny to call me after the character because I had ginger hair. I didn’t mind because Aubrey is such a unique name which has stuck with me ever since.

What do you always put in your shopping basket?
Crunchy peanut butter and Sushi when I can get it. They go well together – no really they do...

When was the last time you cried?
Just the other day I was driving my car and my eldest daughter Elinor told me she wanted to audition for a part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when it comes to Cardiff. She then proceeded to sing Truly Scrumptious word perfect and in tune. She had learned the words off her own back. I was so proud because she sounded fantastic – it set me off like the proud blubbing father I am and I had to pull over and pretend I had something in my eye!

What was your best holiday?
We took the kids camping to St David’s in West Wales for the first time last summer. Owing to the nature of my work I don’t get many weekends off so we snatched a few days in August and met up with some friends. The countryside and beaches are spectacular and it was wonderful to see the kids having such a great time away from TV and computer. It was the first time that they had really seen the stars at night. Can’t wait to go again.