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My Top 5 Showtunes: Ray Quinn

The actor tells us the musical numbers he couldn’t live without

Ray Quinn
Ray Quinn

Ray Quinn rose to fame when he came runner-up to Leona Lewis in the third series of The X Factor. Since then he has carved himself a stage career that includes roles in touring productions of Grease, Dirty Dancing, Legally Blonde and The Wedding Singer.

He now embarks on a UK tour of Summer Holiday, which opens at Liverpool Empire on 8 May and runs through until 3 November.

We caught up with Ray and asked him: "If you were stranded on a desert island which five showtunes could you not live without?"

1. "A Swingin' Affair" from Summer Holiday

I had to choose two songs from Summer Holiday as there is so much great material in there. "A Swingin' Affair" is the first one – this is my kinda music. Swing is me!

2. "The Next Time" from Summer Holiday

I'm such a romantic at heart and out of everything, I really love singing this in the show.

3. "The Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing

This is such an iconic movie packed with great songs – but if I had to choose one it would be this one. What's not to like about this? It is a massive hit and moment in the film and musical.

4. "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman

This is a fantastic movie and became such a success. I went to see it at the cinema and I was blown away.

5. "Defying Gravity" from Wicked

This is one of my all-time favourite musicals, I would love to be in it. The lyrics and the melody make it such a great song – and what an enormous hit worldwide. Phenomenal.