Matt Pagan's back Where It Began show in Carlisle

Today he’s got rehearsals for his upcoming solo show in his hometown of Carlisle. It’s a charity fundraiser for Eden Valley Hospice and a tribute to his much-loved and much-missed grandad.

On Wednesday, he’s in London to perform with Rebecca Ferguson for The Prince’s Trust.

Two days later, he’s back up the motorway to perform at The Sands Centre in his special one man show titled Where It All Began.

He’s not complaining though. In fact, Matt is amazed at how in demand he and his four bandmates are. Did he not expect it to be like this?

“Erm, no, not at all,” he says with surprise. “When we first entered Britain’s Got Talent, we never thought we would be as busy as this, this late on. We have had a really good run of it. I never thought we would go to the US or Japan or Hong Kong. We were on the show in 2013, it has been a while and we are still busy.”

He thought the band would have their fleeting moment of fame, then disappear, like so many other acts from the show’s mottled history. The difference here is that they are genuinely talented and have hit a niche somewhere between One Direction and the Three Tenors.

“I just did not expect what was going to happen, not that I underestimated what we were going to do,” he explains. “It was a massive risk to go on the show.”

This is genuine surprise and honest modesty which adds to the appeal of the group.

The boys are having a break for Christmas, then there’s a UK tour in the New Year, a return to Japan and possibly a return to the US. The band has been a massive hit in Japan and Matt has been impressed with the country and its people.

“It was unbelievable, it was amazing,” says Matt. “We have just finished a sold-out tour and we had loads of people waiting at the airport with gifts for us.”

The band released special version of their second album, Act Two, featuring them singing I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables in Japanese.

“It was terrifying,” he laughs. “But we sang it on tour as well and it got a standing ovation every time.”

It sounds glamorous and exciting, but it’s a tiring and rootless lifestyle living out of a suitcase and travelling from airport to hotel to concert venue.

“The only thing we ask for as a group is that we have our own hotel rooms. If you are on tour with anyone 24/7 it is hard. 

“It is tough at times, but you have to think how lucky we really are to do this.”

He maintains normality and a form of home life through daily phonecalls with his mum Linda. Before he gets back to all that travel, he has time off to spend Christmas at home in St Ann’s Carlisle with his family.

“I’ll be back home on December 19 for Christmas and I can’t wait, just to sit down, open some presents and sip a couple of whiskies!”

And there’s his show to perform, dedicated to his grandad Alex who died two years ago.

His final days were spent in Eden Valley Hospice in Carlisle. Matt, 22, is patron of the charity and all proceeds from the evening will go to it.

“It was the best care he could have had. It was absolutely amazing,” he says. “I wanted to do something for them and winning Britain’s Got Talent was a blessing because it meant I could do that.

“I contacted The Sands manager Jonathan Higgins and we have come up with this show where I’m doing all the swing numbers I did in the pubs and clubs as well as show songs.

“That’s why it is called Where It Began.”

Matt will be backed by the 12-strong Steve Lennon orchestra. Emma Jones, from Wigton, singer and guitarist Deedee Ray, singer Chris Black and the Stanwix school choir will all be performing as well.

Matt is reluctant to give too much away about the show, but says: “I’ll be singing grandad's favourite song My Way and I’ll be dueting with Chris – I’ll be singing in Italian! 

“It’s going to be a big show.”

• Matthew Pagan: Where It All Began, The Sands Centre, 

Carlisle, Friday, December 4. Tickets £25.50 (plus booking fee) from www.thesandscentre.co.uk or call 01228 633766.