McFly's Danny Jones: I'm so excited for my son to watch us headline the O2

Danny Jones revealed he has been teaching his young son McFly songs ahead of the band’s first O2 headline show.

The group will play the London venue on November 20 after a three-year break from touring and are releasing one track from new album The Lost Songs, recorded before McFly's hiatus, each week in the lead-up to the gig.

The speed at which the O2 date sold out then prompted the band to announce a UK arena tour for 2020.

The singer, 33, said that it’s “important” to him that 20-month-old Cooper, who he shares with wife Georgia, is there for this “massive” milestone.

“He used to get freaked out when I was on TV, but I’ve been playing him a lot of McFly and daddy on TV and he starts dancing and going ‘dadada.’

“He saw me soundcheck at my solo show but it is going to be the first time [he has watched the band.] I think it’s important that he’s there for the O2.

“It’s the first time that we’ve ever headlined as McFly and it’s massive for us, so I think he needs to be there. We’re going to have a box for all the kids.”

Jones’ fellow bandmates Tom Fletcher and Harry Judd are also parents to young children, and the star joked that the group’s lifestyle - and conversational gambits - have changed dramatically since they became fathers.

“Me and Harry were in a cab on the way home the other day and we were genuinely talking about where is best to put the laundry room in the house,” he laughed. “It used to be ‘Where shall we go out tonight?’ but now it’s ‘Where’s the laundry going in your house?’

“I said to Harry, ‘How lame is our conversation now?’ It’s so boring, when did s**t get so serious?”

He revealed that the group will start rehearsing for the O2 gig next week after a three year break from touring, adding that he will have to “wipe the cobwebs off” Fletcher, who has “been playing ukulele more than guitar” in his YouTube videos with his family.

The band last played together in 2016 on their Anthology tour, which saw them perform their entire discography across three nights in four UK cities.

Jones, Fletcher, Judd and bassist Dougie Poynter have all pursued new projects since then, and the singer suggests that their hiatus will be “hugely beneficial in the long term” for the group.

“[The band is] like family,” he said. “Sometimes you can’t stand your brothers and sisters, but you love them so much, it’s ups and downs. We’ve grown up, gone through break-ups, marriage and kids - it’s a lot for a band to go through.

“In hindsight the break was massive for us because it allowed us to come back after three years with a newfound respect and a brand new energy around McFly. I think that’s hugely beneficial long term.

“I feel like we could go on for another 16 years and then maybe do another break. We’d have burnt out otherwise.”

Jones is an ambassador for Woolmark and has taken part in its Shaun the Sheep partnership to help his son learn about choosing clothes responsibly.

He revealed that he was keen to get more involved with environmental issues since becoming a father, and after discussions with his bandmate Poynter, whose new book Plastic Sucks encourages the younger generation to seek alternatives to single-use plastics.

“It was perfect because Cooper could also get involved,” he said. “I’m still learning about [environmental issues] and I wouldn’t want him to turn around later and go ‘Dad, why didn’t you do this or tell me this?’

“I want him to be proud of me and I want him to be left with a nice world, a nice earth. The more I learn, it’s the small steps that make a difference.”

Danny’s Woolmark jumper is available from www.doublerainbouu.com. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: FARMAGEDDON is in cinemas from today.

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