No one has a more extraordinary story than English popstar, James Blunt.
The soldier turned singer-songwriter turned Twitter legend is one of the most talked about and controversial popstars of his generation.
And now the 49-year-old is releasing his new hilarious feature film documentary which showcases a real insight into the popstar with all access footage.
Filmed on the road in 2022 on what James describes as his ‘Greatest Hit Tour’, director Chris Atkins captures the star as he travels across Europe.
In a cross between Spinal Tap and Alan Partridge the film features ‘You’re Beautiful’ chanting antivaxxers in New Zealand, an encounter with an overzealous fan, and plenty of awkward interviews.
Popstar insight: James Blunt is set to release a HILARIOUS documentary filled with singing antivaxxers, an awkward overzealous fan and why England’s most extraordinary popstar is really a ‘narcissistic psychopath’
Hilarious: The film features a crowd of antivaxx protestors belting out James’ 2005 smash hit You’re Beautiful as they danced together in the rain
The film also hears from his long-suffering crew who have been stuck on the road with him for nearly twenty years, including his wonderfully morose tour manager who describes James as a ‘narcissistic psychopath’.
In released sneak peak clips, James’ bizarre humour and dry wit shines through as he hits the road.
Speaking about the film, James revealed: ‘I was hoping I’d come across as the English equivalent of Tom Cruise. It hasn’t really turned out that way.’
In a hilarious clip BBC newsreaders are seen reporting on an antivaxxer protest in New Zealand where authorities are attempting to use the ‘Barry Manilow effect’ where they play the singer’s hits in an attempt to deter the protesters.
When the Cococabana hitmaker fails to repel the protesters, James tweets the New Zealand police himself, as he suggests ‘Give me a shout if this doesn’t work’.
What proceeds is the crowd of protestors belting out James’ 2005 smash hit ‘You’re Beautiful’ as they danced together in the rain.
Seeing the footage James exclaimes: ‘They were dancing along and singing along. Truth is…they liked it.
‘They’re really f****d up, aren’t they?! They’re antivaxx and they’re pro Blunt.’
‘They’re antivaxx and pro Blunt’: When Barry Manilow failed to repel protesters, James tweeted the New Zealand police himself, as he suggested ‘Give me a shout if this doesn’t work’.
‘He’s not normal’: In a satirical interview with his tour manager Robert Hayden, describes James as a typical rockstar, a ‘narcissistic psychopath’ before adding ‘that’s why they’re successful’
Awkward: James is approached by an overzealous fan while on tour on the Isle of Man
‘You look better in real life than you do on the telly’: The pair have an incredibly awkward interaction as she pays the singer a slightly back handed compliment
James became one of the most talked-about ‘rise and fall and rise’ stories of its time and delving into James’ unique backstory, the film looks at the star’s time in the military.
The singer served in NATO’s peacekeeping forces during the Kosovo civil war in 1999 and the film includes incredible unseen footage of the conflict which James filmed on a home video camera.
The film then documents James’s unlikely rise to superstardom in 2005 with the biggest selling album of the noughties – and how this quickly led to a vicious media backlash.
For the very first time the singer touches on his frank feelings about being labelled the ‘most hated man in pop’ and being the target of numerous ‘kiss and tell’ stories in the tabloid press.
In a satirical interview with his tour manager Robert Hayden, he describes James as a typical rockstar, a ‘narcissistic psychopath’ before adding ‘that’s why they’re successful.’
‘If you read the book Psychopath Test some of them end up being serial murderers, some of them end up being popstars.’
When asked whether he reads his own reviews, James replies: ‘Erm most of them I write myself and post my own reviews online under pseudonyms because how else am I going to get a good review?’
Exploring how he tweeted his way to becoming a national treasure, the star is loved by his followers, and he is approached by one overzealous fan while in the Isle of Man.
Approached by the fan, she is clearly overwhelmed as she exclaims: ‘Good gracious, I can’t believe it’.
Military career: The singer served in NATO’s peacekeeping forces during the Kosovo civil war in 1999 and the film includes incredible unseen footage of the conflict which James filmed on a home video camera
Wall of records: James shows off his impressive collection for his millions of records sold
Embarrassing: In a series of awkward press interviews, James states he cannot sing live for them as he is ‘saving his voice’ for his show
National treasure: The film will premiere for one night only in UK cinemas on Wednesday 6th December
It then becomes slightly awkward as James asks whether she is coming to the show that night and she confesses she isn’t.
After an awkward hug, the woman pays the star a slightly backhanded compliment, informing the singer: ‘You look better in real life than you do on the telly’.
‘You’re so sweet,’ replied Blunt.
Using hilarious and touching testimony from his wife Sofia, his doting parents and self-confessed Blunt superfan Ed Sheeran, this is an intimate and revealing portrait of James Blunt in his very own words.
Including a series of awkward press interviews, James states he cannot sing live for them as he is ‘saving his voice’ for his show.
Each presenter then serenades Blunt as he questions his own lyrics.
As the host sings: ‘my love is pure,’ James asks ‘What does that mean?’
Singing the line ‘I saw an angel,’ James points to himself as he exclaims, ‘Me?’
In a recent interview with The Sun, James insisted his wife is to blame for his busy lifestyle.
The singer splits his time between London and Ibiza, and explained that although people always ask him when he will settle down, he is just trying to keep up with his wife, Sofia Wellesley.
‘And I’m lucky to have met someone who worked at a higher tempo than me and instead of settling down, I had to speed up.
‘I wish I could say I was still in the Ibiza clubs all the time.
‘But maybe that’s why I’ve put a nightclub at the end of my garden, so that the 30-yard stumble back to my bed is more manageable.’
The pair have been married since 2014 and in 2018 they saved their local pub in Chelsea, The Fox and Pheasant from closing down.
The star joked that it is in the license agreement that no James Blunt music can be played.
The film will premiere for one night only in UK cinemas on Wednesday 6th December.
Happy couple: The singer splits his time between London and Ibiza, and explained that although people always ask him when he will settle down, he is just trying to keep up with his wife, Sofia Wellesley