Simon Cowell ‘thoroughly enjoyed’ Bradley Walsh outselling Zayn Malik’s debut album

Bradley Walsh has said Simon Cowell ‘thoroughly enjoyed’ hearing the news that his album outsold Zayn Malik’s debut, Mind of Mine.

Walsh – who is famed for starring in Coronation Street and The Chase – sold the most British debut albums of 2016 in the UK, with his popular Chasing Dreams.

Speaking about his success, Walsh told the Guardian: “I just laughed when I found out. I thought it was hysterical. I am probably the oldest new artist Sony has ever signed.

“Niall Horan was sending me messages, laughing his head off. And I got big congratulations from Simon Cowell. He thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Chasing Dreams was the 57th biggest- selling album of the year and the best-selling debut by a Brit and was certified gold after selling a staggering 111,650 copies within two months of its release last November.

Walsh also beat off the likes of Blossoms and Brits Critics’ Choice Award winner Jack Garratt to take the title of the highest selling British debut album.

Speaking about the secret to his success he said: “It’s just about being an entertainer; it’s about having all those tools over the years to do all sorts: films, musicals, playing a bit of piano, running a quiz show – it just becomes part of the job.

“I like something you can hum along to. I think new artists sometimes miss the point … I can’t listen to rap music, it’s not my thing. They say that they’re the modern poets: of course they are, but it’s not for me.”