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James Morrison reveals how he met his wife: 'My mum went on a date with her ex'

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 27:  James Morrison performs on stage at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on March 27, 2019 in London, England.  (Photo by C Brandon/Redferns)
James Morrison performs at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in 2019 (Photo by C Brandon/Redferns)

Singer-songwriter James Morrison has revealed the unlikely start of his relationship with wife Gill Catchpole which he describes as 'like a little farytale'.

The Brit Award winner spoke to Kate Thornton on White Wine Question Time and told the story of how his now wife had moved in as a lodger at Morrison's mum's house, with her then boyfriend.

What's more, the boyfriend ended up going on a date with Morrison's mum.

But the Broken Strings singer said everything has worked out how it should, and he and his wife Gill now have two daughters together despite getting off to a slightly unusual start.

WATCH: James Morrison reveals music helped him escape poverty, win love and battle his mental health

Asked by Thornton about his favourite songs, Morrison said he had been listening to Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life album a lot before he met his wife, and was learning to sing all the songs on it.

"When she moved in, I started singing all the songs off that album to her," said Morrison. "I was playing all of that stuff on the acoustic guitar. So it reminds me of when I met her and me just serenading the corridor hoping she'd pop out."

At the time, Morrison was 17 and the boyfriend, John, was in his early thirties, and was six foot two compared to Morrison's five foot ten. "So it wasn't the easiest start, but I just still see it as a really romantic thing. I'm not very romantic. I'm not like: 'I love romance!' But I do find certain things romantic and the fact that we met each other the way we did. It's like a little fairy tale or something!"

The musician and Gill got together around three months after the boyfriend had left, but that there was another twist in the tale.

Listen to the full episode to hear James talk about his musical influences, and what it was like growing up on free school dinners

"He got me back," Morrison revealed. "My mum rang me one day. And she said: 'I'm out on a date. I wonder if you can pick me up?'

"I said: 'Where are you?' And she said: 'I'm at John's house.' And I was like: 'John's house? Who's John?' She said: 'You know, Gill's John.'

"Okay, so I have to go and pick my mum up from my girlfriend's ex's house, and it was the most awkward thing!

"But I didn't like the fact that she said that. So I was like: 'No it's not a date. They're just hanging out.' Yeah, it was awkward!"

He described John as a "strapping dude" that was loved by all the girls. "And he was funny as well. So I give him credit where credit's due. He's a good guy. They weren't right together.

"But you know, it was right for me and he's gone and found someone else and and done the right thing with his life and spent it with someone else. So yeah, it worked out for all of us."

Read more: James Morrison compares his daughter's singing to Adele

The. early connection with his wife came from music, Morrison explained, because her dad is also a musician.

He said: "We just had a connection straight away really. But I had to wait two years to find out if what I thought I felt was real.

"Because I wasn't going out with her for the first year or so she lived there. She was with her boyfriend, so I was getting to know her.

"And I didn't want to tell her that I fell in love with her the first moment I set eyes on her because I didn't know, I never fell in love before.

"So I didn't really know if it was that. So it was like a massive moment for me to even tell her that I liked her."

WATCH: "I was playing for my supper." James Morrison opens up about growing up on free school meals