'We've not had an argument in 10 years'

As they head out on a new UK tour, singers Michael Ball and Alfie Boe tell us about the secret to their enduring friendship

- SUE CRAWFORD

They describe themselves as being 'like brothers' but unlike many siblings, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe have not had a cross word in the entire 10 years they have worked together.

Their latest joint album, Together at Home, is their sixth. Now they're about to embark on tour, but while Michael admits that they have different personalities, he says those differences have never once resulted in a quarrel.

'There's a lot of banter and mickey-taking, but we never fall out,' he says. 'I know people would love to think that we're at each other's throats, but we're just not. Life is too short.

'We might disagree about work ideas – it would be weird if we didn't, really – but we have never argued or lost our tempers. That would be wrong and I'd feel uncomfortable.

'There's always a solution to any dilemma. The secret has always been from the very get-go that's it's 50/50 on every decision, and everything we do and don't do,' he says.

'At the very beginning, we didn't know how each other worked. We are different kinds of people, so we were getting used to each other's ways. Now we've hit a groove. It's nice and it's strong,' he adds with a smile.