My dogs are good for wellbeing... but they don't like my music

WILL YOUNG EXPLAINS WHY HIS PET POOCHES ARE STRESS-BUSTERS TO CASEY COOPER-FISKE

- BY SARA WALLIS

AS the inaugural winner of ITV's Pop Idol in 2002, Will Young is one the few artists to have built a lasting career off the back of TV talent show success.

The 46-year-old’s debut double Aside single Anything Is Possible/Evergreen remains the fastest-selling debut single in UK chart history, and Will has gone on to release nine studio albums, four of which reached number one in the UK albums chart.

His four UK number-one singles, including the smash hit Leave Right Now, brought him huge success but he has spoken openly about his mental-health struggles, including anxiety attacks and the agoraphobia that led to his abrupt departure from the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2016.

One thing Will has always found comfort in is his love of dogs. He is the proud owner of mastiff-bulldog cross Domino, who was rescued from a kill shelter in Los Angeles in 2020, and 15-year-old border terrier Esme.

He is the co-founder of dog food company, Miraculous Meals, which was set up in 2023, and it donates 50% of its profits to rescue centres to help tackle the crisis that sees tens of thousands of dogs euthanised every year.

"There's definitely a reason why people have dogs," he says. "Stroking a dog does bring up your parasympathetic nervous system [that helps the body return to a state of relaxation], so it calms down your stress.