James Blunt says he will change his name to ‘anything’ if his debut album returns to number one

'As long as it's not Blunty McBluntface'

In 2004, James Blunt released Back To Bedlam, his debut album which included hits such as ‘You’re Beautiful’, ‘Wisemen’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover’.

The album went on to reach the top spot on the UK albums chart and is now certified 10x Platinum.

In celebration of the album’s 20^th anniversary, the singer is re-releasing the album and going on tour.

Speaking to Radio X’s Chris Moyles the singer said: “I have signed up to changing my name to whatever the public want – they can change my name.

“It’s a genuine thing. I swear on my life and the life of my one fan – Brian from Glasgow – I will change my name should it hit number one.”

He continued: “Yeah. I swear on Brian’s life and my life. To whatever the public want – and of course the public are going to kind, they’re not going to go for anything that rhymes with Blunt are they?

“But you know, as long as it’s not, you know, Blunty McBluntface.”

Blunt explained to Moyles that the prank was to try and encourage fans to purchase the new album to try and replicate the success the original had twenty years ago.

‘High’ was the first single off the album before ‘You’re Beautiful’ shot to number one.

He recalled: “High was the first single. So we put out High, and that got a bit of radio visibility, all over Radio X at that stage – this is my natural home!

“And then we put Wisemen out, and the album got into the top 20 and then came the killer, You’re Beautiful, in 2005 at that stage, and the rest is a terrible, terrible history!”

Back To Bedlam spent 10 weeks at the top of the album charts and became the highest-selling album of 2005 in the UK.

He has released six albums since Back To Bedlam, all with varying degrees of success but Blunt, a former Captain in the British Army, remains one of Britain’s best-selling singer-songwriters.